The International Tropical Timber Organisation (ITTO) was established 40 years ago over concerns about the world’s tropical forests and the countries that depend on them. Today tropical forests face increased challenges from climate change, biodiversity loss, and land degradation. The 59th session of ITTO’s Council (ITTC-59) therefore needed to make some key decisions when it meets in Pattaya, Thailand, for its annual meeting.

Most importantly, the Council had to decide whether or not to extend the current International Tropical Timber Agreement (ITTA), dating from 2006, until 6 December 2029. Originally due to expire in 2021, ITTA has already been extended to 6 December 2026, in a decision taken by ITTC-57 in 2021. The 2006 agreement has two overarching objectives: to promote the expansion and diversification of international trade in tropical timber from sustainably managed, legally harvested forests; and to promote the sustainable management of tropical timber-producing forests. If the 2006 Agreement was not extended at this meeting, the Council would have had to establish a process toward negotiation of a new agreement beginning in early 2024.

The Council also considered approving the draft Biennial Work Programme for 2024-25, and the formulation of a future Biennial Work Programme for 2026-2027. ITTO work programmes take place in the areas of forest law enforcement, governance and trade (FLEGT); community forest management and enterprises; trade and market transparency; industry development and efficiency; and reducing deforestation and forest degradation, and enhancing environmental services in tropical forests (REDD+).

ITTO’s work is supported by four committees: the Committee on Economics, Statistics and Markets (CEM), the Committee on Reforestation and Forest Management (CRF), the Committee on Forest Industry (CFI) and the Committee on Finance and Administration (CFA). The committees convened during ITTC-59 and made recommendations on the ITTO’s Biennial Work Programme, in light of recent ex-post evaluation of its projects and thematic work on forest landscape restoration. For example, drawing on prior project work in promoting the role of bamboo in climate mitigation and adaptation, the meeting could further position bamboo as a potential commodity that may benefit from international carbon funds.

The Annual Market Discussion at ITTC-59 considered challenges and opportunities from changing priorities in the tropical timber industry. These discussions bring together producers concerned with optimizing the benefits of tropical timber, consumers concerned with securing current and future tropical timber supply, and all parties and civil society concerned with sustainable forest management and conservation, environmental and ecological services, and the rights of Indigenous peoples and forest-dependent communities.

ITTC-59 convened in Pattaya, Thailand, from 13-18 November 2023. ITTO currently has 37 members who are categorized as “Producing countries” and 38 members who listed as “Consuming countries”. This membership represents approximately 90% of world trade in tropical timber and 80% of the world’s tropical forests.

The Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) writers for this meeting were Delia Paul and Deborah Davenport, Ph.D. The Digital Editor was Diego Noguera. The Editors were Chris Spence and Pam Chasek, Ph.D.