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

Friday, 8 November 2002

On Friday, delegates met in Committee and drafting group sessions. The Committees on Reforestation and Management (CRF), Economic Information and Market Intelligence (CEM), Forest Industry (CFI) and Finance and Administration (CFA) met in the morning to consider outstanding matters and adopt their reports. The drafting group met in morning and afternoon sessions to consider draft decisions on partnerships for sustainable forest management (SFM) and certification, and preparations for renegotiating the 1994 International Tropical Timber Agreement (ITTA, 1994). Above delegates from Africa and Brazil in consultation.

COUNCIL SESSION:

COMMITTEE ON REFORESTATION AND FOREST MANAGEMENT:

Draft report: CRF Chair Pérez (right) introduced the draft report of the Committee on its thirty-first session (CRF(XXXI)/7). On policy work, Chair Pérez highlighted noted a decision to accept a proposed study on assessing the environmental, social and economic costs and benefits of forest plantation development, and said that the Secretariat will prepare a detailed proposal for the thirty-second session of the Committee.

CÔTE D'IVOIRE inquired about budget decisions for a project, put forward during ITTC-31, on a permanent network of stands dynamics monitoring in plantations.

COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC INFORMATION AND MARKET INTELLIGENCE:

Draft report: CEM Chair Bergquist (center) introduced the draft report of the Committee (CEM(XXXI)/7). The Trade and Advisory Group's (TAG) spokesperson said that Guatemala's proposals to CITES to list two tropical tree species came as a surprise. He said TAG's topic for ITTC-34 market discussion will be world trade and business developments and will include WTO participation.

COMMITTEE ON FOREST INDUSTRY:

Election of Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson for 2003: The Committee elected Fidel Reyes Lee, Guatemala (center) , and Astrid Bergquist, Sweden (left), as CFI Chairperson and Vice-Chair person for 2003, respectively.

Other Business: The US proposed that the Secretariat analyze, and prepare a document on, the common elements of expert evaluations of projects and pre-projects and proposals, to be discussed at the next joint CEM-CFI Committee Session.

Draft report: CFI Chair Reyes Lee introduced the draft report to the Committee (CFI(XXXI)/7). On consideration of project and pre-project proposals, the US requested that his concern regarding consistency of project ideas with ITTO mandate be reflected in the report.

COMMITTEE ON FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION:

Draft report: CFA Chair Chittachumnonk (right) invited comments on the draft report of the Committee (CFA(XII)/7), including an annex on the CFA 2003 work programme. Delegates elected Christopher Ellis (left), the US, as CFA Vice-Chairperson for 2003, and adopted the report, with minor corrections.

OPEN-ENDED DRAFTING GROUP

DRAFT DECISION ON PREPARATIONS FOR RENEGOTIATING ITTA, 1994: On a draft decision on preparations for the renegotiating process, delegates added language on requesting: members' comments on the draft report on new and emerging issues; the ITTO Executive Director to authorize consultants to revise the report according to Council discussions and comments; and ITTO Executive Director to consult with UNCTAD.

Regarding Chairmanship of the renegotiation process, delegates debated two options. Consumer countries favoured co-chairing by producer and consumer members, stressing that continued leadership, shared responsibilities and equal rights of both caucuses are key to successful renegotiations. Left photo: Delegates from ASEAN member countries.

DRAFT DECISION ON PARTNERSHIPS FOR SFM: On a draft decision on partnerships SFM, delegates agreed to balance the urgent need for action with concerns that ITTO guidelines governing partnerships were undecided. The drafting group agreed to language that: establishes pilot partnerships and a working group to provide guidance to ITTO on partnerships; and ensures CSAG and TAG input on partnerships.

ENB Snapshots: