November 2003
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Preparatory Committee for the Negotiation of a
Successor Agreement to the International Tropical Timber Agreement (ITTA),
1994 (PREPCOM II)
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Yokohama, Japan | 10 - 12 November 2003 |
Delegates to the
Second Session of the Preparatory Committee (PrepCom II) for the Negotiation
of a Successor Agreement to the 1994 International Tropical Timber
Agreement (ITTA, 1994) convened in both Plenary and closed-door caucus
sessions. In Plenary, delegates heard presentations on: experiences
in implementing the ITTA, 1994; the current status and future potential
of markets for ecosystem services of tropical forests; and the Inter-sessional
Working Group on the Renegotiation of a Successor Agreement to the
ITTA, 1994 held in Curitiba, Brazil in August 2003. In the afternoon,
delegates discussed amendments to articles for the successor agreement.
Photo:
Stephanie Caswell, Consultant, Manoel Sobral Filho, ITTO Executive
Director, PrepCom
Chair Jürgen
Blaser (Switzerland),
PrepCom Vice-Chair Carlos Antonio da Rocha Paranhos (Brazil)
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Caswell, Consultant, Manoel Sobral Filho, ITTO Executive Director,
PrepCom
Chair Jürgen
Blaser (Switzerland),
PrepCom Vice-Chair Carlos Antonio da Rocha Paranhos (Brazil),
ITTC-35 Chair Bin Che Freezailah, and ITTC-35 Vice-Chair Jan McAlpine |
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PrepCom
Chair Jürgen Blaser (Switzerland) opened the meeting,
noting progress so far and emphasizing the need for good communication
and information exchange among delegates. |
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Stephanie
Caswell, ITTO Consultant, presented the report on experiences
of implementation of the ITTA, 1994 (ITTC(XXXV)/5). She highlighted,
inter alia: ITTO decisions; funding under the Bali Partnership
Fund; cooperation with other organizations; member non-payment;
incomplete attainment of ITTO Objective 2000; and member countries'
failure to provide timely statistical data. Regarding areas for
potential review during the PrepCom, she outlined, inter alia:
consolidating the Agreement's objectives; specifying the ITTC's
functions; and improving policy and project work integration.
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Jürgen
Blaser presented on the current status and future potential
of markets for ecosystem services (ES) of tropical forests (ITTC(XXXV)/6).
He said the main buyers of ES are local, private investors.
Chair Blaser said that: trade in ES can result in land-rights
claims by politically powerful groups; contract negotiations
that exclude local people; and the ES trade is hampered by insufficient
knowledge and information dissemination. He called for the development
of property rights and legal frameworks. Presentation on Current
Status and Future Potential of Markets for Ecosystem Services
of tropical Forests: An Overview
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ITTC
Vice-Chair McAlpine said that ITTO's role in enhancing ES is discrete
from discussions on whether the ITTO should address the trade
in environmental services.. |
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Olaf Jensen,
Norway, and EC members
Norway,
supported by Malaysia, Venezuela, Indonesia, the Republic
of Congo and the EC, cautioned against duplicating the work
of international bodies, such as the World Trade Organization,
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and
the Convention on Biological Diversity. Norway
suggested that the successor agreement focus on the property
rights of indigenous peoples.
The
EU called for keeping the agreement as a commodity agreement.
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Don Wijewardana, New Zealand (left) and Ghana intervenes (right)
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Malaysia
(left) said the ITTA's achievements have been mixed,
underlining that, with limited funding, it is important not
to overburden the Secretariat. He added that the new agreement
should not differ substantially from ITTA, 1994.intervenes.
. Arguing that the value of ES is unpredictable. Malaysia
suggested that the successor agreement focus on issues currently
addressed, such as poverty and illegal logging.
David
Brooks, US (right)
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Canada makes an
intervention, cautioning participants against opening the
article on non-discrimination up to debate.
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The Producer Group strategizing its position on the financial
arrangement.
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Working Group
Co-Chair Carlos Antonia da Rocha Paranhos (Brazil) weighs in
on the matter of sessions of the Council.
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