IISD Reporting Services at ITTC-33, 4-9 November 2002, Yokohama, Japan

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SUMMARY

33rd Meeting of the International Tropical Timber Council and Associated Sessions of the Committees
4 - 9 November 2002
Yokohama, Japan

Daily Web Coverage

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Highlights from

Tuesday, 5 November 2002

On Tuesday, delegates met in Council and Committees sessions. The Council convened in the morning to hear reports and discuss organization of work and certification. The Civil Society Advisory Group (CSAG) also held a panel in the morning to discuss certification. In the afternoon, the Committees on Reforestation and Forest Management (CRF), Economic Information and Market Intelligence (CEM) and Forest Industry (CFI) reviewed, inter alia, completed and on going projects and pre-projects and project and pre-project proposals. The Committee on Finance and Administration (CFA) discussed the draft administrative budget for 2003, arrears in members' contributions and other business.

Council Session:

The Council adopted the report of the Informal Advisory Group (ITTC(XXXIII)/2). ITTC Executive Director Sobral Filho introduced the Draft Programme of Work for 2003 (ITTC(XXXIII)/16).

ORGANIZATION OF WORK: ITTC Chair Blaser outlined the report of the Working Group on the organization of work under the ITTA, 1994 (ITTC(XXXIII)/5). Left photo: Chair Blaser with a delegate from Malaysia.

CHINA called for balanced renegotiations that seek to meet the interests of both producers and consumers.

CERTIFICATION: Markku Simula, Finland, presented the interim report on the potential role of phased approaches to certification (ITTC(XXXIII)/9), emphasizing that phased approaches to certification can be either demand- or supply-side driven.

CIVIL SOCIETY ADVISORY GROUP:

CSAG Chair Andy White, Forests Trends, explained that the purpose of the session was to consider whether certification can be successful and ensure profits for forestry. He stressed that CSAG is intended to be open and not a substitute for the Trade Advisory Group (TAG).

Justin Stead, WWF Global Forests and Trade Network, emphasized the need for: responsible forestry; information on procurement; creation of supply and demand for certified products; training and capacity building for responsible forest management; partnerships; and research.

Pablo Antelo, La Chonta, underscored that certification requires a commitment from producers and consumers.

Scott Poynton, Tropical Forest Trust (TFT), stressed the need for a step-wise partnership-based approach.

Tan Chin Tong, Perak ITC, indicated that timber certification could facilitate market access but entails costs and does not necessarily guarantee SFM. He called for ensuring accessibility of certification schemes.

Antonio Uliana, Certified Forest Products Buyers Group, stressed the importance of FSC certification as a forest conservation tool, and presented the Group's work on developing a sustainable timber market in Brazil.

Parfait Esono, Cameroon, underscored the social context for certification in Africa, and called on continued ITTO and other donors' support to build capacity to building capacity for certification in the region.

The NETHERLANDS stressed the need for credible certification systems.

The PHILIPPINES noted that FSC certification is internationally supported and stressed that certification schemes can only succeed if supported by all, including indigenous communities.

JAPAN said certification schemes contribute to sustainable development.

COMMITTEE ON REFORESTATION AND FOREST MANAGEMENT

The US welcomed Peru's engagement to carry out legal proceedings to investigate the unaccounted funds regarding one of its projects and proposed revisiting the matter at ITTC-35.

COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC INFORMATION AND MARKET INTELLIGENCE

CEM Chair Bergquist introduced a report on projects and pre-projects proposals (CEM(XXXI)/6). The CEM recommended for approval by the Council a project proposal from Togo on a national system of data collection, and pre-projects from Côte d'Ivoire and the Democratic Republic of Congo on national statistics systems.

COMMITTEE ON FOREST INDUSTRY

The CFI considered a report on implementation of approved projects and pre-projects (CFI(XXXI)/4), and discussed projects and pre-projects that experience problems, without making decisions.

THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA requested time extensions for projects on a village industry and a training workshop, respectively.

COMMITTEE ON FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION

The Secretariat introduced the draft administrative budget for 2003 (CFA(XII)/2 and 2/Amend.1), highlighting increased staffing funds. He noted a 11.4% total budget increase for 2003 to US$ 4,979,903. Left photo: ITTO Secretariat staff.


Noting that the proposed increase was too high, the US suggested funding new staff positions by charges added to specific projects costs.

INDONESIA raised concerns over its increased contributions, noting that its timber production has been decreasing. The Secretariat said a revised draft budget would be prepared.

Side Event:
"Who Owns the World's Forests?" - Presented by Forest Trends



B.C.Y. Freezailah, ITTC Vice-Chairperson, introduced the event aimed at launching a publication entitled "Who Owns the World's Forests?", highlighting the socio-cultural dimension of forests. He said the publication would provide a fundamental strategy for sustainable forest management. Andy White, Forest Trends, outline "Who Owns the World's Forest", a joint study conducted by Forest Trends and the Centre for International Environmental Law (CIEL). Noting that forest ownership and access is contested around the world, he explained that tenure security is critical to promote investment and has not been given enough consideration so far. He stressed that the publication focuses on official patterns of ownership and access in 24 countries, and analyzes trends and their impacts on global policies. He underscored: an increasing recognition of indigenous and community ownership; challenges for land reform; the need for ambitious actions from industry, governments, donors, NGOs, and indigenous communities. He expressed hope that the publication would encourage land tenure reforms, sustainable forest management and joint ventures for technical assistance. Jan McAlpine, the US, stressed that land tenure is of relevance to ITTO members and recommended the ITTO looks at the issue of land tenure. More information: http://www.forest-trends.org.