Context

As China’s significant role in the global forest products trade continues to grow, considerable interest is developing around how Chinese companies are addressing the issue of illegal logging in their operations overseas and their supply chains. Until recently, illegal logging was a sensitive issue in China, with little discussion of how China fits into the global dialogue on illegal logging and associated trade. Considerable progress is now being made as more and more stakeholders from civil society, government and the private sector are participating in and initiating discussions about China’s role and responsibilities concerning these issues.

IUCN, through its China Programme, has been involved in the process of opening up discussions on illegal logging and associated trade in China.

Overview

In partnership with the United Kingdom Royal Institute of International Affairs, better known as Chatham House, and Forest Trends, IUCN China is presenting a series of Illegal logging dialogues.

The aim of the series is to establish a regular, open meeting place for key stakeholders and to foster a constructive discussion about the international trade of sustainable and legal forest products with key producer and consumer countries. The partners seek to share research conclusions and help to ensure that international and local organizations are familiar with each others’ work and can come together to better understand how to implement solutions that may be useful in China.

Activities & Achievements

The first and second meetings took place in Beijing in April and November 2007 respectively and each attracted more than 60 participants from government, the private sector, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and research institutions. Some of the key areas discussed include timber certification and verification tools such as the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and the Société Générale de Surveillance (SGS) approaches, the regional forest products trade, between China, Mongolia and Russia for example, and the implications for Chinese companies of consumer country measures to counter illegal logging such as green procurement initiatives, Voluntary Partnership Agreements with the European Union and potential amendments to include timber and timber products in the wildlife covered by Lacey Act in the United States.

The third Chatham House dialogue is scheduled for April 2008 and will focus even more on how the private sector can address illegal logging and associated trade, and, importantly, can promote sustainable forest management in China and overseas.

The primary achievement of the meeting series is the meetings themselves which are providing important opportunities for a range of stakeholders to come together and share information on new developments and useful tools, and contributing to opening up discussions on illegal logging and associated trade in China.

Back to top