Region Archives: International

The 19th session of the UN Forum on Forests (UNFF19) opened on Monday with focus on achieving Global Forest Goals and increasing progress towards sustainable development by 2030. The UNFF serves as a body under the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and aims to support the goals of the International Arrangement on Forests (IAF) and to advance other international forest-related instruments, processes, commitments and objectives. At the forum’s opening ceremony, Juliette Biao, Director of the UNFF Secretariat, said the world currently faces numerous natural disasters, worsening climate change as well as conflict, growing poverty and unemployment, among other crises. She said making a difference amidst these global challenges can be achieved by meeting Global Forests Goals (GFG) by 2030, however, they remain off track. To get back on target, Ms. Biao said, “we want a world where all types of forests are sustainably managed”. 

Liberia, West Africa’s most forested country, has a long history of illegal logging, which the country’s regulator, the Forestry Development Authority (FDA), has repeatedly struggled to confront. So it raised eyebrows when Rudolph Merab, whose companies were twice found to have engaged in illegal logging, was recently appointed to lead the FDA. …For the first time Merab answered questions about his past and detailed his plans for managing Liberia’s forests, promising to increase timber exports and cut regulations. Liberia, a country of more than 5 million people, is bordered by Sierra Leone, Guinea and Ivory Coast, and has a long coastline along the Atlantic Ocean. Despite a recent past that includes civil war and chronic problems with illegal logging, much of its tropical forests remain lush and intact. …The United Kingdom and European Union, both major donors to Liberian forest conservation, hoped a change in government would bring about a new era.

It has never been more crucial to raise awareness and inspire responsible actions that positively impact our environment. As consumers look to actively contribute to fighting the climate and biodiversity crises, together we can show them a way to be part of the solution. FSC Forest Week (21-27 September) is an annual campaign that raises awareness about sustainable forestry, highlighting the Forest Stewardship Council’s (FSC) work and forest stewards’ role in fighting climate change and biodiversity loss. 2024 marks 30 years since we started our mission. You can be part of this journey by taking the small steps that create big change throughout the week, working to raise awareness and promote FSC’s impact. The campaign is a fantastic opportunity for your brand to engage with customers and communities, inviting them to step up for our forests. 

Peter Gondo

Forests cover nearly one-third of the earth and are critical in global efforts to address the triple planetary crisis. Ahead of the UN Forum on Forests and the 4th International Conference on Small Island Developing States this month, we asked UN DESA’s Peter Gondo about the Forum, the role of forests in small islands and why we need healthy forests for our survival. “Forests play a pivotal role in addressing the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution. When forests are healthy and well managed, they provide a myriad of ecosystem services, from regulating climate and providing habitat for 80% of terrestrial biodiversity, to cleaning and filtering our air and water and providing livelihoods and food security. Investments in forest-based solutions offer a cost-effective way to generate multiple biodiversity and social benefits. The triple planetary crisis is interconnected, and forests offer integrated solutions to address all three of the crises,” said Gondo.

Western Australia’s dying forests need urgent health monitoring as they face the impacts of climate change. Murdoch University forest ecologist Joe Fontaine said large areas of vegetation across the state started to turn brown and die off in February. He urged the state government to support university-government partnerships to develop a system to monitor the health and determine the risks of future events on WA’s forests. Climate change was set to make large-scale plant die-offs more likely. “The likelihood of WA’s event has been evident to scientists for months, yet there was no consistent monitoring or warning system in place to prepare the community or to influence behaviour such as groundwater use,” he said. …WA Greens MLC Brad Pettitt said we were witnessing a devastating ecosystem collapse that was likely to accelerate the loss of many of the state’s unique and globally significant species and ecosystems.

A persistent labor shortage and tepid demand for timber are complicating Japan’s efforts to mitigate pollen allergies by reducing the number of cedar trees, raising concerns about the feasibility of its ambitious forestry goals. These challenges have come into sharp focus as the government aims to reduce pollen production by cutting cedar forest plantations by about 20% over the next decade, with the ultimate goal of halving pollen output in about 30 years. In May last year, the government adopted new strategies to combat pollen allergies. It decided to increase the annual rate of logging of cedar forest plantations from the current 50,000 hectares to 70,000 hectares, and set a target to reduce the area of such forests by about 20% by the end of fiscal year 2033. Starting this fiscal year, prefectural governments are to engage in comprehensive discussions with owners of cedar forest plantations to initiate tree-felling in designated priority areas.

A new study reveals compelling evidence that forests certified by the Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®) in Gabon and the Republic of Congo harbour a higher abundance of larger mammals and critically endangered species, such as gorillas and elephants, compared to non-FSC certified forests. The research was led by Utrecht University with support from WWF and the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), and was published in Nature on 10 April 2024. It underscores the effectiveness of measures implemented in FSC-certified forest concessions to safeguard wildlife. By meticulously counting individual animals and strategically positioning camera traps, the research conducted by Joeri Zwerts confirmed that certified concessions notably harbor a larger population of large mammals – 2.7 times more for mammals over 100 kg, such as gorillas and forests elephants, and 2.5 times more for mammals from 30–100 kg, such as leopards and chimpanzees – when compared to non-FSC-certified areas. 

The Ash Dieback Action Plan, which received cabinet approval today (Tuesday, April 30) is a “positive step” to restoring the “eroded confidence” of farmers in forestry, according to one senator. Tim Lombard said that the supports announced today may be a “catalyst to drive the Forestry Programme forward”. A €5,000/ha payment will be provided to affected forest owners, separate from the clearing and replanting grants. …Lombard, the vice-chairperson of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine, said: “The committee has pushed hard for a resolution for impacted farmers and I’m pleased that we finally have a significant package in place “We’ve seen the impact of ash dieback in plantations across the country. We all have neighbours hit by this. It’s been horrendous for those farmers affected,” he added.

More than half of the country’s forestry is in community and Indigenous hands – and from CO2 absorption to reducing poverty the results are impressive. Dexter Melchor Matías works in the Zapotec Indigenous town of Ixtlán de Juárez, about 1,600ft (490 metres) above the wide Oaxaca valley in Mexico, where community forestry has become a way of life. Like him, about 10 million people across the country live in and make a living from forests, with half of that population identifying as Indigenous. As average temperatures soar around the world and wildfires rage across the Americas, in Mexico, where more than a quarter of the country suffers from drought, the number of wildfires has remained steady since 2012. More than half of Mexico’s forests are in community and Indigenous hands, a situation unlike anywhere else in the world, which, according to experts, helps explain why the country has done better at controlling large fires.

LONDON — New research from iov42, a technology company specialising in digital identity, trust, and data integrity has revealed that almost one in five (18%) European timber importers are not aware of any incoming deforestation legislation, despite the fact that regulations like the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) and UK Environment Act will imminently become law. Despite the uncertainty around deforestation regulation timings, more than a quarter (27%) of respondents claim to be fully prepared, although there is a marked difference in levels of preparedness from country to country. 44% of UK respondents feel somewhat prepared, whereas in Belgium almost a quarter (24%) have not even commenced preparations.  iov42’s 2024 Deforestation Regulation Readiness Survey is based on responses from those with active involvement in importing timber and related commodities in the UK, Germany, France, Belgium, Austria, and Italy. All of whom will be or are affected by existing and incoming regulation designed to combat deforestation… 

Portugal is the world’s leading producer of cork. In 2023, cork exports achieved a record value of €1.2 billion, 75% of which came from cork stoppers, according to the Portuguese association of cork producers. Portugal’s leading cork company claims that around one out of three wine bottles worldwide is sealed with a cork stopper made in Portugal. About 20 years ago, significant concerns emerged that cork might lose market share to synthetic alternatives. …Nowadays, cork has a competitive edge over materials like plastic due to its sustainable properties. “A cork stopper captures almost 400g of CO2. A single cork can offset all the emissions from producing a glass bottle,” says António Rios de Amorim. He anticipates an expansion in wine production, which underscores the need to plant more cork oaks – a move that would also aid Portugal’s efforts to combat climate change.

A group of protesters from the Bob Brown Foundation have staged a dramatic protest in front of a large crowd at a Hobart food festival overnight. The activists stormed the Street Eats @ Franko event in Franklin Square on Friday, lighting fiery flares as they stood on the steps of the Treasury and Finance building. They collectively called for an end to post-logging forestry burns in Tasmania, which they say fill Tasmania’s air with toxic fumes and destroy the state’s native environment. The stunt comes as the foundation launches a new website that monitors logging and burning activities in native forests across the state. Forest Watch aims to bring transparency and accountability to the logging practices of Sustainable Timber Tasmania, including details on the burns’ climate, health and wildlife impacts.

JAKARTA, Indonesia — From trees felled in protected national parks to massive swaths of jungle razed for palm oil and paper plantations, Indonesia had a 27% uptick in primary forest loss in 2023 from the previous year, according to a World Resources Institute analysis. But the loss is still seen as historically low compared to the 2010s, it said. “Deforestation has been declining from six or so years ago,” said Rod Taylor, global director of the forests program at WRI. “It’s good news and commendable for Indonesia. But others saw cause for concern in the uptick, and tied some of the more recent deforestation to the world’s appetite for mining Indonesia’s vast deposits of nickel. …Since 1950, more than 74 million hectares of Indonesian rainforest have been logged, burned or degraded for development of palm oil, paper and rubber plantations, according to Global Forest Watch.

NEW ZEALAND — In a sector that has been knocked about by rule changes in the past few years, Keith Woodford plots the way ahead. …Many of my forestry presentations have focused on flaws in the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS). This presentation was different. I simply took the rules as they are and looked at how farm foresters could best respond in their own interests, be they economic interests or broader issues coming from the heart. My starting point was to briefly look at the journey NZ’s production forestry has taken in recent decades. …Almost 90% of NZ’s log exports go to China. …NZ is now the only country that exports significant volumes of softwood logs to China. Countries like Russia now only export lumber, not logs. Also, China is becoming increasingly self-sufficient in timber, with big eucalyptus plantings in the south of China.

Elizabeth Heeg

Foresters are seething at the lack of understanding they claim exists in the Helen Clark Foundation report on the role their sector can play in New Zealand’s future growth opportunities in adding value to food and fibre products. Earlier this month the Pathways to Prosperity report was released by a public policy think tank hosted by Auckland University of Technology. It cited the looming impact of aging demographics as a key driver for a need to increase the country’s wealth to pay for greater superannuation and health care. …Forest Owners Association CEO Dr  Elizabeth Heeg said the report’s single biggest failing was its lack of appreciation and recognition of the level of global demand for timber and timber products in the future. “Not only will the worldwide demand for timber to replace carbon-emitting concrete and steel rise rapidly, but so too will the demand for wood-based biofuels and plastic-substitute products,” Heeg said.

Conservation actions are effective at reducing global biodiversity loss, according to a major study. …The authors said their findings offered a “ray of light” for those working to protect threatened animals and plants. One out of every three species monitored is currently endangered because of human activities. In the first study … scientists from dozens of research institutes reviewed 665 trials of conservation measures, some from as far back as 1890, in different countries and oceans and across species types, and found they had had a positive effect in two out of every three cases. Co-author Dr Penny Langhammer told said, “If you read the headlines about extinction, it would be easy to get the impression that we are failing biodiversity – but that’s not really looking at the whole picture. This study provides evidence that not only does conservation improve the state of biodiversity and slow its decline, but when it works, it really works.”

A reported 85% of Ikea’s virgin wood still comes from European producers, including Poland, Lithuania, and Sweden. The company website cites China as responsible for nine percent of its lumber — another notable provider is Vietnam, making up three percent. Until Russia’s military invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Ikea sourced 11% of its timber in Russia and Belarus but has since ended all business with either country, scaling back operations. Ikea’s report for the Fiscal Year 2023 claims the company used 97.8% Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified or recycled wood materials. However, concerns about Ikea’s conduct regarding Brazilian lumber arrived this year from NGO Disclose. …The furniture giant has since partnered with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) for environment restoration operations in the Atlantic Forest and Cerrado biomes in Brazil and the Tapajós River Basin in Colombia. …Notwithstanding these incremental changes, there are still threats to old forest areas across the world, especially in China.

The Association of Romania’s Wood Industry (AIL) accuses Greenpeace and Agent Green of attacking the entire wood processing industry with no grounds, furthermore misleadingly using specific terms to magnify the impact of its rhetoric in the international media. The two NGOs cultivate confusion between the term “old forests” (a legally undefined term) and the term virgin and quasi-virgin forests, the association says. “For Agent Greenpeace/Agent Green, forest management, according to the highest standards of professionalism, Romanian legislation, and international FSC and PEFC standards, means ‘forest destruction’. […] According to official data, 94% of Romania’s forests [although not necessarily old-growth forests or virgin forests] have primary structures identical to the old-growth forests. It is an indisputable merit of forestry in Romania,” AIL argues. …Environmental organizations Agent Green and Bruno Manser Fonds (BMF) recently urged IKEA “to better oversee their forestry operations in Romania.” …and refrain from sourcing wood from national parks and primary and ancient forests. 

Perth’s gardens have been kept alive with desalinated water over the driest six months in the city’s history, but beyond the reach of sprinklers native vegetation from Kalbarri to Albany is dying from a summer without end. Jess Boyce, acting director of the WA Forest Alliance, declared it a climate and ecological emergency. “Large areas of drying and dying vegetation are being seen all around south-west WA, their root systems are running out of water,” she said. In 2011, the Northern Jarrah Forest that stretches from inland of Perth to Collie suffered a forest collapse – believed to be the first such event in the world – but in 2024, the damage is more widespread. Climate scientist Bill Hare said this damage was driven by global warming from the burning of fossil fuels. “This is not the new normal, it is the beginning of what looks like a very, very worrying period of decades ahead,” Hare said.

Envisioning a climate-stable future requires a dual strategy as far as the world’s forests are concerned: protecting and restoring natural forests for all of their ecological and climate benefits while also sustainably managing working forests to drive the global transformation to a sustainable, circular bioeconomy. Many are uncomfortable at the thought of cutting down a tree. While wood is a useful material, people don’t like the idea that it should be harvested from a forest. In a 2017 study commissioned by the North American Forest Partnership, nearly four out of five respondents thought wood was a renewable material; however, fewer than one in five associated the forest sector with sustainability. That’s an unfortunate misconception and in our current era of climate disasters, it’s becoming a dangerous one. The reality is that sustainable forestry and forest products can help us save the planet from ourselves.