30.07.2020
The IDH study » Unlocking Sustainable Tropical Timber Market Growth Through Data » has been translated into French.
This study is a very interesting cartography on the consumption of certified sustainable wood in different European countries.
We know unsustainable timber production and harvesting practices pose threats to tropical ecosystems and lead to the destruction and conversion of forest lands. Conversely, when timber operations practice Sustainable Forest Management (SFM), forest ecosystems can be maintained nearly indefinitely, continuing to support communities, businesses, and provide ecosystem services.
SFM generally requires careful assessment of forests, planning to minimize impact in all aspects of logging, harvesting on an ecological timescale, and constant monitoring to maintain best practices. SFM leads to forest conservation and climate change mitigation and provide significant social benefits to producer countries.
SFM is promoted primarily through two avenues: strong governance in producer countries, and certification schemes. The EU currently promotes SFM through FLEGT Licensing, and strengthening governance is a crucial part of the fight to preserve forests, but for the most part enforcement is still insufficient in developing countries. Certification via FSC and PEFC are currently the most measurable way to guarantee SFM, and as a result certification rates are used to approximate timber from SFM origin in this study.
This study also provides us with an analysis of what could be done to improve this consumption of wood from sustainable forest management.
