News Archive 2006
December 2006: FSC failing to uphold indigenous peoples' rights - WRM
The World Rainforest Movement (WRM) has accused the FSC-accredited forest certifier SGS Qualifor of closing its eyes on human rights abuses in Uganda. FSC certification has been granted to a tree-planting project in the Mount Elgon National Park, which WRM alleges is characterised by violence towards indigenous communities. In its monthly bulletin, WRM claims that because 'tree planting inside the boundary of the national park cannot be separated from the management of the national park', operations of the whole park were to be taken into account by SGS when granting certification.
21 December 2006: 2011 International Year of Forests - UN
United Nations General Assembly has adopted a resolution declaring the year 2011 as the International Year of Forests. The move aims to promote sustainable management, conservation and development of forests worldwide. United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF) Secretariat has been tasked with serving as the 'focal point' for the implementation of various activities during the year, and has set up a related Website. The associated press release also states that 'governments, regional and international organizations and civil society organizations are expected to create national committees and designate focal points in their respective countries'
19 December 2006: UK Government releases review of forest certification schemes; PEFC and FSC approved
The UK Government has released its review of existing forest certification schemes. The study found that the Forest Stewardship Council system (FSC), the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification schemes (PEFC), Canadian Standards Association scheme (CSA), and North America's Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) all met UK Government's procurement policy requirements in regards to legality and sustainability.
The National Association of Forest Industries and the Australian Forestry Standard Limited hailed the decision. Australian Forest Certification Scheme is a fully-endorsed member of the PEFC.
The Malaysian Timber Certification Council scheme (MTCC) was found adequate in ensuring legality. However, it was found wanting in terms of ensuring sustainability, due to the lack of 'any clear procedures or safeguards relating to the influence of different interest categories' during the standard-setting process.
A full version of the report can be found here.
15 November 2006: Claims of log smuggling in PNG unfounded
www.illegal-logging.info, a website managed by Chatham House and funded by UK's Department for International Development (DFID), has published an article which dispels some of the myths regarding illegal logging in Papua New Guinea. Written by Kwame Asumadu (an independent consultant based in Australia), the article outlines the independent monitoring system of PNG log exports developed and implemented by Société General de Surveillance (SGS). SGS is an international provider of monitoring services and directly oversees five per cent of all world trade. It has been operating in PNG since 1995. The article argues that the monitoring system in place 'provides a verifiable proof that allegations of rampant log smuggling in PNG [often raised by environmental non-governmental organisations] are highly questionable'.
A full version of the article Illegal logging in Papua New Guinea - the other side of the story can be found here.
9 November 2006: FSC-Watch launched
A website aimed at scrutinising the activities of the Forest Stewardship Council was launched on 9th November 2006. FSC-Watch (www.fsc-watch.org) is run by a group of ex-FSC employees 'who are very concerned about the constant and serious erosion of the FSC's reliability and thus credibility'. The website states that unless structural problems within the FSC system are addressed, 'the FSC is doomed to failure'. FSC-Watch acts as an information portal, providing latest news on FSC certification whilst also encouraging reader comments and contributions.
8 November 2006: PEFC publishes requirements for the avoidance of controversial wood
The Council of the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification schemes (PEFC) has published a mandatory guide for the Avoidance of Controversial Sources. All PEFC-certified suppliers of forest-based products are now required to produce a signed self-declaration that none of their supplied raw material originates from a 'controversial source'. In a case where the materials are considered as "high risk" (with list of indicators provided by PEFC), the supplier must provide PEFC with necessary information on origins of the material and the whole supply chain. Certified material from other certification systems (such as FSC) is considered as not requiring further checks.
The new guide forms Appendix 7 of the International PEFC Chain of Custody Standard. It becomes effective as of 1 May 2007, and can be found here.
2 November 2006: Australian government refuses NGO calls for tropical timber ban
In a draft policy paper, the Australian government has produced a list of measures it is planning to undertake to tackle the issue of illegal logging. Despite the pressure from green NGOs such as Greenpeace, the discussion paper rules out banning imports of tropical timber from countries such as Papua New Guinea (PNG) and the Solomon Islands. Instead, it focuses on voluntary industry measures, and supports a government review of forest certification schemes.
In an accompanying media release, the Australian Minister for Fisheries, Forestry and Conservation, Eric Abetz, stated that an attempted ban 'would also prevent legal timber coming into Australia', and that 'significantly, no other country has implemented such a ban'.
The policy paper was welcomed by the Shadow Minister for Primary Industries, Resources, Forestry and Tourism, Martin Ferguson, and the National Association of Forest Industries. Greenpeace and Australian Conservation Foundation, together with Tasmanian Senator Bob Brown have criticised the policy as ineffective, and renewed their calls for the government to ban tropical timber imports.
In a related edition of ABC's radio show PM, the Greenpeace campaign to halt commercial forestry in PNG came under heavy criticism from Alan Oxley, a managing director of a consultancy ITS Global and a former Australian Ambassador to the GATT.
The draft policy paper, Bringing down the axe on illegal logging - a practical approach can be found here.
The media release by Senator Abetz is available here.
26 October 2006: New body to promote Australian timber industry
The Australian Government has given approval to the formation of a new company to promote the timber industry. Forest and Wood Products Australia (FWPA) will provide generic marketing and promotion of the environmental credentials of timber as well as providing research and development services to the industry which are currently undertaken by the Forest and Wood Products Research and Development Corporation (FWPRDC). FWPRDC could not provide marketing services for the industry under its enabling legislation. It is expected that the new company will begin operation on 1 July 2007. The National Association of Forest Industries (NAFI) has welcomed the development.
A related press release by Australian Minister for Fisheries, Forestry and Conservation Eric Abetz can be found here.
10 October 2006: International forum on government procurement policies produces mixed findings
The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), together with Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), held a policy forum on "Public procurement policies for wood and paper products and their impacts on sustainable forest management and timber markets". Attendees included stakeholders from exporters, traders, industry and NGOs. The forum's primary findings were that while there is strong political momentum towards procurement policies for forest products, only a few countries are currently applying procurement policies in practice. There are many difficulties with implementation, including the complexity of assessing certification schemes.
Documents presented at the forum can be found here. A related press release from UNECE is available here.
20 October 2006: Australian Treasury rejects NGO allegations against ANZ
The Australian Treasury has ruled that ANZ has no case to answer in an NGO complaint which asserted that, by having financial links to Rimbunan Hijau, ANZ is breaching various OECD Guidelines. The complaint was lodged by a consortium of Green NGOs (including the Australian Conservation Foundation, CELCOR and Human Rights Council of Australia), and made references to 'respect of human rights' and 'contribution to economic, social and environmental progress'.
The Australian National Contact Point for the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises (ANCP) rejected the complaint, stating that ANZ's links with Rimbunan Hijau could not be characterised as investment (as required by the OECD Guidelines). Citing the absence of ANZ membership in 'any RH Board, management committee or other decision making body of RH', ANCP stated that it was difficult to see ANZ having the kind of links with Rimbunan Hijau that would enable it to direct the company's operations. The ruling did not include a discussion of the allegations made by the NGOs against Rimbunan Hijau.
Earlier this year, ACF and CELCOR produced a report which accused the commercial forestry sector in Papua New Guinea (in which Rimbunan Hijau plays a major role) of causing 'spiralling abuse of civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights'. The report recycled material from earlier papers by Greenpeace, and the claims were denied by the PNG Government and the PNG forest industry (see the news item on 7 August 2006, below).
The full version of ANCP's findings can be found here. The story was also covered in The Age.
25 September 2006: EU and Malaysia launch formal VPA talks; NGOs sceptical
Following a meeting in Brussels, the European Union and Malaysia have agreed to embark on formal negotiations towards conclusion of a voluntary partnership agreement (VPA). A part of the EU strategy on forest law enforcement, governance and trade (FLEGT), VPAs require certain imports from the signatory country into the EU to be subject to a legality verification licensing system. The overall aim is to ensure that Malaysia only supplies legal timber to the European market. The relevant EU press release can be found here.
In response, the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) and Indonesian NGO Telapak have labelled the proposed VPA as inadequate. They have called for "mandatory regulations" (i.e. a ban), stating that the 'voluntary approach alone will be ineffective' in stemming the flow of illegal timber into EU. EIA also urged the EU to demand that Malaysia stops dealing in illegal Indonesian timber.
16 September 2006: World Bank allegations against PNG lacking evidence
The World Bank has published Strengthening Forest Law Enforcement and Governance - Addressing a Systemic Constraint to Sustainable Development, a report which estimates the effects of illegal logging in developing countries. The report claims that an estimated 70 per cent of Papua New Guinea's total forest production is illegal.
A review of documents which the report lists as references with respect to the claim has failed to find any evidence for the claim. Follow-up communication with the World Bank revealed that no profiling of PNG forestry was undertaken. The report also fails to provide a working definition of illegal logging, despite admitting that 'different stakeholder groups use different definitions to promote their agenda'. A full version of the report can be found here.
16 September 2006: Greenpeace criticised in The Australian
The Australian has published 'A skewed vision from team green', an article by Alan Oxley on commercial forestry in Papua New Guinea. The article exposes to the lack of evidence supporting the claims of human rights abuses in the industry, made in the report recently released by CELCOR and Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF). It also points to the need for forestry companies operating in remote areas to call in police forces to keep order, refuting CELCOR-ACF insinuations that forestry companies are responsible for distribution of arms throughout PNG.
Greenpeace's suspect definition of "illegal logging" is exposed, and its campaign against Rimbunan Hijau Group (the largest forestry company in PNG) is scrutinised, concluding that claims against the company 'are baseless or cannot be properly substantiated'. The article also provides an environmental case for ongoing commercial forestry in PNG, and emphasises the importance of the industry to PNG's development. The full text of the article is available here.
7 September 2006: Drastic measures proposed by Victorian anti-forestry NGOs
Victorian Forest Alliance (coalition of NGOs including The Wilderness Society and Australian Conservation Foundation) has called for the area of protected forests in eastern Victoria to be increased by 970,000 hectares. A report by the Alliance, Choosing a future for Victoria's forests, argues that the local timber industry should deal with a sudden decrease in resources via 'a rapid shift from commodity production using native forests to commodity production based on plantations'. The report fails to address how this unrealistic shift would be achieved. Instead, it proposes a $104 million investment in tourism, and $32.5 million in recurrent funding for National Parks.
The report also suggests widening the definition of "old-growth forests" to include 'negligibly-disturbed younger forests and forest with a mature growth stage, which have the potential to become the old-growth forests of the near future'. This move appears designed to add credibility to calls for increasing conservation areas. A full version of the report can be found here.
August 2006: Greenpeace and WWF respond to ITS Global report
Greenpeace International and WWF South Pacific have posted separate responses to Whatever it takes: Greenpeace's anti-forestry campaign in Papua New Guinea, a report by ITS Global.
Greenpeace has challenged the independence of the report, citing the fact that the report was commissioned and paid for by Rimbunan Hijau. It also disputes the claim that its policies impede development in PNG, and maintains the claims of illegality and human rights abuses in the PNG forest industry. To support these allegations, Greenpeace produces a list of sources used in its previous reports (which were dealt with by ITS Global); no substantial new evidence is provided. The document, titled Rimbunan Hijau can't handle the truth, can be found here.
WWF's response includes the rejection of allegation that it is engaged in a global campaign to replace commercial forestry with eco-forestry, stating its support for 'commercial forestry companies all over the world who appreciate É truly sustainable forestry'. By stating that 'much of the criticism levied against WWF in the report is wrongly based on the assumption that WWF owns and manages the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)', WWF misrepresent the claim by ITS Global that it controls the FSC. The document also falsely sustains the claim that global consumer demand for certified timber is strong; this claim is disproved by the recently released UNECE/FAO Forest Products Annual Market Review, 2005-2006 (click here). WWF's document, Certified timber market speaks for itself, can be found here.
August 2006: World Bank creates new challenge for forestry in developing nations
The International Finance Corporation (the arm of the World Bank Group responsible for private-sector lending) recently conducted a review of its safeguard lending policies and has developed a new set of Performance Standards on the social and environmental impacts of funded projects. The new Performance Standards are now in force. Performance Standard 6 relates to sustainable natural resource management. The standard requires clients involved in natural forest harvesting or plantation development to have their resources independently certified, or 'develop and adhere to a time-bound, phased action plan for achieving such certification'.
According to the latest data, forest certification remains largely confined to the forests resources of the developed countries. The new standard will therefore make it extremely difficult for forestry operators in developing countries to obtain financial assistance from the Bank.
A full version of Performance Standard 6: Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Natural Resource Management can be found here.
23 August 2006: NGOs target ANZ for its association with Rimbunan Hijau
A five-member coalition of Australian and PNG NGOs has filed a formal complaint to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) against the ANZ Bank over the latter's relationship with Rimbunan Hijau. ANZ is accused of being complicit in the alleged environmental and social damage caused by RH, thus breaching OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises. The coalition includes Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF), the Centre for Environmental Law and Community Rights (CELCOR), the Environmental Law Centre, the Human Rights Council of Australia, and the PNG EcoForestry Forum.
In particular, NGOs assert that ANZ's financial relationship with Rimbunan Hijau is detrimental to PNG's economic, social and environmental progress, whilst also contributing to human rights violations. The claims against Rimbunan Hijau rely on the reports by the Independent Review Team, Forest Trends and Masalai-i-tokaut as evidence; these sources have been largely discredited in a report by ITS Global. The submission calls for ANZ's 'immediate disengagement from socially and environmentally destructive forestry operations in PNG' (i.e. commercial forestry), as well as a commitment to promote 'community-based forestry operations'. A full version of the submission can be found here.
22 August 2006: Skill shortage in Australian timber industry due to 'negative propaganda'
A report funded by the Australian Government has found that an 'undeserved negative image' is the core reason for a skills shortage in the Australian timber industry. Conducted by the National Association of Forest Industries (NAFI) in conjunction with the Australian Plantation Products and Paper Industry Council (A3P), the study asserts that the negative perceptions about the wood and paper products industry results in the inability to attract young professionals (particularly engineers, accountants and electricians).
The Australian Minister for Fisheries, Forestry and Conservation, Senator Eric Abetz lamented the fact that 'the Greens' continual negative propaganda' is having a negative effect on the industry, particularly as the number of timber plantations increases. The government also pledged its commitment to improve the public perception of the industry.
A full version of the report, Wood and Paper Products Industry Skills Shortage Audit, is located here.
7 August 2006: PNG forest industry abusing human rights, says AFC
The Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) has produced a report which accuses the commercial forestry sector in Papua New Guinea of causing 'spiralling abuse of civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights'. The report, Bulldozing progress: human rights abuses and corruption in Papua New Guinea's large scale logging industry, was produced in collaboration with the Centre for Environmental Law and Community Rights (CELCOR), a PNG-based NGO.
The report recycles material from papers by Greenpeace attacking the PNG forestry sector. ITS Global undertook a critique of Greenpeace's allegations and found them to be baseless (see Whatever it takes - Greenpeace's anti-forestry campaign in Papua New Guinea, available here). ACF and CELCOR also include evidence from a small number of interviews with land owners. The evidence is unverifiable and presented without regard to investigating the actual circumstances in which claims were made. Many of the claims relate to a road-clearing project, which was investigated and closed by PNG authorities. The case is not indicative of production forestry in PNG.
In their recommendations for solutions to PNG's political and economic problems, ACF and CELCOR propose increased funding for groups such as CELCOR and the replacement of industrial logging with small-scale eco-forestry. This mirrors Greenpeace's vision for forestry in PNG. ACF and CELCOR also call for increased funding for the police force, and creation of new public supervisory bodies. They do not discuss how such actions could be resourced or the economic impacts of phasing out an industry important to PNG's economic growth.
The Papua New Guinea Government and the PNG forest industry have denied the allegations. A full version of the ACF report can be found here.
5 August 2006: Greenpeace targets furniture retailers in Sydney
Furniture retailers in Sydney's Homeworks Caringbah shopping complex were subjected to a day of action by Greenpeace. Claiming that retailers were 'selling products sourced from suspected illegal timber from Papua New Guinea and Papua, Indonesia where over 80% of the logging is illegal', Greenpeace activists wrapped 'Forest Crime Scene' tape around timber furniture, placed stickers on timber furniture with the message 'Is this timber stolen from rainforests?', and attempted to confiscate a table made from suspected stolen timber. Activists left after police entered the premises.
Greenpeace's claims of illegality were based on a 'suspicion', due to the alleged lack of credible certification on the stocked furniture. The Greenpeace spokesman urged furniture retailers to adopt purchasing policies which would ensure the absence of illegal timber, and encouraged consumers to purchase FSC-certified products.
26 July 2006: New report highlights the importance of commercial forestry in PNG
A new report has found that commercial forestry is a consistent contributor to growth in Papua New Guinea and could play a larger role in development in the future. The Economic Importance of the Forestry Industry to Papua New Guinea, produced by ITS Global, marks a first attempt to estimate the economic value of the infrastructure created by commercial forestry in PNG.
The findings contradict claims by Greenpeace and other Green NGOs that commercial forestry in PNG is economically unviable and provides little economic value. The report found that the industry employs 10,000 people, contributes 5 per cent to GDP and a quarter of a million dollars each year in exports. Export taxes on logs account for 3 to 6 per cent of all tax.
At the regional level, the impact of the industry includes the provision of roads, air fields and services, wharves, schools and medical clinics for the local populace. A case study of Western Province indicated the industry doubles the amount of infrastructure provided by the provincial government. The report also found that the industry could contribute more if property rights, taxation and institutional arrangements and economic policies were improved. The study provided evidence that eco-forestry (promoted by Greenpeace as a replacement for commercial forestry) is currently commercially unviable in PNG.
The report was commissioned by Rimbunan Hijau (PNG) Group, the largest forestry operator in PNG, to assess the current and potential economic significance of forestry in Papua New Guinea. To see the report in full, click here.
25 July 2006: Greenpeace brokers deal to ban the use of "illegally" grown soy in the Amazon
Leading European supermarkets, food manufacturers and fast food chains such as McDonalds have pledged not to use soy "illegally" grown in the Amazon region in response to Greenpeace's claim that large areas of Amazon forests are being cleared for the crop. A two year moratorium on newly deforested land in the Amazon has been agreed on. The deal was brokered by Greenpeace UK, which linked the illegal destruction of the forest to large-scale soy farming. The related press release by Greenpeace can be found here. The story was also covered by The Age.
20 July 2006: PNG accused of transfer pricing, but evidence lacking
A news article in The Australian has accused the Papua New Guinea forest industry of engaging in transfer pricing, resulting in the loss of A$100 million a year in tax revenue for the PNG government. However, the news item fails to provide adequate evidence for the claim, citing only the difference in export prices of timber from PNG, Malaysia and western Africa. Other factors influencing export prices have been ignored, and the allegation of an A$100 million tax revenue loss is referenced to unspecified "industry sources". The PNG Forest Industries Association has denied the claim.
19 July 2006: NAFI welcomes new toolkit to assess effects of reforestation
Australia's National Association of Forest Industries (NAFI) has welcomed the launch of a toolkit which will provide a framework that enables private investors, farmers and the forest industry to optimise commercial forestry. Developed by Ensis (a collaboration between CSIRO in Australia and Scion in New Zealand) and launched by the Australian Forestry and Conservation Minister, Senator Eric Abetz, the Commercial-Environmental Forestry toolkit is said to increase the cost-effectiveness of revegetation projects, including commercial timber plantations. A relevant press release can be found here.
18 July 2006: Poland and Czech Republic progressing towards PEFC certification
Forest certification schemes of Poland and the Czech Republic are undergoing the international public consultation period in a bid to achieve PEFC endorsement. External consultancies have been hired by PEFC to independently assess whether the national systems comply with the PEFC benchmark requirements. While the Czech Republic is seeking PEFC's re-endorsement for a second 5-year period, Poland's bid is its first. More information can be found on the PEFC website.
15 July 2006: Greenpeace campaign against forestry in PNG laid bare
ITS Global has released a report which reveals that a campaign run by Greenpeace against Rimbunan Hijau (the largest forestry company in PNG) is baseless. Greenpeace claims that Rimbunan Hijau's logging is illegal and is destroying the environment. It also claims that the company abuses human and labour rights, and is engaged in corruption. None of these claims can be substantiated.
The report, Whatever it takes - Greenpeace's anti-forestry campaign in Papua New Guinea, concludes that Greenpeace's attack on the company is a proxy campaign to replace commercial logging in PNG with eco-forestry and subsistence forestry. If successful, this strategy would cost PNG 10,000 jobs, reduce GDP by 5 per cent and reduce exports by half a billion Kina. The report also points out that PNG's forestry is not in danger of imminent destruction, as Greenpeace contends.
The report notes 'Greenpeace is not interested in developing sustainable commercial forestry or improving the economic welfare of the people of PNG. It has only two interests in PNG: first, to see it used as a model for its own view of how the world should look; and second, to secure a tactical victory to support its global campaign to stop commercial forestry'.
Greenpeace's accusations against the company are made in The Untouchables: Rimbunan Hijau's world of forest crime and political patronage, released in 2004 by Greenpeace International, and Partners in Crime: the UK timber trade, Chinese sweatshops and Malaysian robber barons in Papua New Guinea's rainforest, released by Greenpeace UK in 2005.
ITS Global was commissioned by Rimbunan Hijau to review Greenpeace's claims and assess them. Whatever it takes is an exhaustive and detailed analysis of the claims. To access the full text, click here.
12 July 2006: Greenpeace climbs building in protest
Greenpeace has staged a 12-hour protest on top of the UK government's Cabinet Office building, claiming that the latter is being refurbished using timber from Papua New Guinea. Greenpeace has long asserted that commercial forestry in PNG is "illegal". Labelling the UK government procurement policy on timber purchase as 'totally ineffectual', Greenpeace has demanded that the government imposes a total ban on imports of PNG timber. The story was covered by UK's Telegraph. Greenpeace's recollection of the event can be found here.
7 July 2006: Eight new projects for Tasmanian forestry industry
AU$14 million will be spent on eight new forestry projects established under the Tasmanian Community Forest Agreement. $3.5 million will come in form of grants from Tasmanian and Federal governments, whilst the remaining funding will be provided by the industry. The grant money will be used for upgrades and purchases of new equipment, which 'will boost safety and efficiency, and enable many to meet the challenge of moving into new forest types', according to the Australian Forestry and Conservation Minister, Senator Eric Abetz. A media release by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) can be found here.
3 July 2006: Australian government under criticism from PNGFIA
Bob Tate, the executive officer of the Papua New Guinea Forest Industries Association (PNGFIA), has condemned the possibility of Australia banning timber imports from PNG. In an article posted on the PNGFIA website, Tate stated that such a move 'will be contributing to loss of jobs, rural development and income generation in rural PNG'. The comments come following an article in The Australian, which alleged that Australian Forestry Minister Eric Abetz labelled the "vast majority" of rainforest logging in PNG as "illegal". Bob Tate has denied the allegation.
22 June 2006: NAFI dismayed by the decision on sleepers
National Association of Forests Industries (NAFI) has voiced its disappointment at the decision by the Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) to upgrade the North-South rail link between Brisbane and Melbourne using concrete, rather than timber sleepers. According to NAFI CEO Catherine Murphy, the move will result in the loss of 600 direct and 1200 indirect jobs and will have a negative environmental impact, as 'the production of 1.3 million concrete sleepers per year will result in the release of thousands of tonnes of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere'.
Ms Murphy also lamented the $10 million investment in mill upgrades, made in the anticipation of ARTC requirements. NAFI is planning to work with the New South Wales and Victorian timber industry to reverse the decision. Related press release can be found here.
20 June 2006: UN lifts ban on Liberia's timber exports
The United Nations Security Council voted unanimously to lift the ban on Liberia's export of round logs and timber, applauding the country's new President for her efforts in managing the nation's forests. The Council also praised Liberia's newly-imposed moratorium on timber exports and new concessions, pending the passage of appropriate forestry legislation. The Council's decision is to be reviewed after 90 days. Sanctions were originally imposed on Liberia in May 2001, after reports that the Liberia's natural resources were fuelling conflict in the region. The related news release from UN can be found here.
15 June 2006: EU adopts Forest Action Plan
The European Commission (EC) has adopted an EU Forest Action Plan, which provides a framework for forest-related actions at the EU and member-state level. The plan aims primarily at improving the long-term competitiveness of the European forest sector, through innovation and research activities, as well as training for forest-owners and forest workers. Increased use of forest resources for energy production is also proposed, as well as the development of a European Forest Monitoring System. The plan contains 18 key actions, to be implemented jointly with the member states during 2007-2011.
A full copy of the EC communication on the plan can be found here. A related press release by the European Commission, titled 'European Commission adopts an EU Forest Action Plan', can be found here.
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