AF&PA Lauds Senate for Continued Recognition of Biomass Carbon Neutrality

Without serious intervention against corruption, it will be impossible to address the problem of illegal timber trafficking in Europe. Presenting its findings in Rome, the TREES project has successfully shed light on the role that bribes play in encouraging the illegal timber trade in Europe. “Corruption is strongly connected to the illegal timber trade, but at the same time appears to be a ‘victimless crime’,” said Antonio Brunori, Secretary General of PEFC Italy, a TREES partner. Identifying corruption It is traditionally very hard to identify corruption, as it is based on an agreement between several parties, all involved with mutual benefits. Moreover, the corruption (at least formally) produces documents that hide the irregularities - when all the documents appear to be legal and correct, it is extremely difficult to detect the crime. “It is vital that we act to minimize this type of criminal activity occurring within the forestry sector, in order to minimize the damage to the environment and the enterprises that work legally,” Mr. Brunori continued. “The findings from the TREES project will provide an important starting point.” click Read More below for additional information

“When focusing on wood products, that’s where FSC comes in. It’s proven to be the most reputable and stringent option, so we rely on it for all of our projects”, says Katie Stanford of STŌK, a leading built-environment sustainability firm, in a recent webinar on responsible forestry. The webinar, produced by Sustainable Brands, also included Christopher Reeves from Procter & Gamble and Brad Kahn of Forest Stewardship Council US. A peer-reviewed study by Ecotrust and the University of Washington showed that forests managed to FSC standards are globally significant in their ability to store large quantities of carbon, which is key to mitigating the effects of climate change. While some have argued that any form of forest management (short of deforestation) is carbon neutral because trees eventually re-grow, in reality the study found that larger and more protective buffers along streams, retention of more live trees following a harvest, and longer rotation lengths all combine to result in significantly more carbon storage.

PEFC invites stakeholders around the world to comment on the South African national forest certification system, following its submission to PEFC for endorsement. To give your feedback, head to our Online Consultation Tool. The South African Forestry Assurance Scheme (SAFAS) is one of our newest national members, joining earlier this year in May. This means it is the first time they have submitted their national system to PEFC for endorsement. Make your comments now! The deadline is 9 January 2018. Click Read More below for additional information.