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Vol. 24 No. 30
Saturday, 8 November 2003
ITTC-35 HIGHLIGHTS:
FRIDAY, 7 NOVEMBER 2003
On Friday, delegates to ITTC-35 convened in council
and committee sessions and in an open-ended drafting group to
continue negotiating the Council's decisions. In the morning, the
Committees on Reforestation and Forest Management (CRF), Economic
Information and Market Intelligence (CEM), Forest Industry (CFI) and
Finance and Administration (CFA) met to approve their final reports
to the Council. In the afternoon, the Council considered: a study on
internationally traded and potentially tradable environmental
services provided by tropical forests; the report of the Credentials
Committee; the promotion of sustainable forest management (SFM) in
the Congo Basin; and a report on experiences of implementation of
ITTA, 1994. Also in the afternoon, the Open-Ended Drafting Group
negotiated the Draft Biennial Work Programme for 2004-2005.
COMMITTEES
COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC INFORMATION AND MARKET
INTELLIGENCE AND COMMITTEE ON FOREST INDUSTRY: The draft report
of the thirty-third session of the CEM/CFI (CEM-CFI XXXIII/7) was
reviewed for approval by the CEM/CFI. GUATEMALA inquired about the
funding of pending projects. The Secretariat replied that funding
decisions remain with the donor community. BRAZIL requested, and the
CEM/CFI agreed, to delete reference to funds being hampered for its
IBAMA Forest Products Laboratory project and, supported by the US,
requested that the document state that further project consultations
be made by the CFA. Regarding the Mbalmayo National School of
Forestry project in Cameroon, SWITZERLAND expressed concern that the
Minister in charge had not been consulted. CAMEROON, confirmed by
the Secretariat, noted the contrary. The Secretariat noted that the
names of the elected vice-chairs and the dates and venues of future
committee sessions would be disclosed as soon as possible.
COMMITTEE ON FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION: Chair
Chris Ellis (US) recommended that references to member country names
be deleted from the CFA's report (CFA(XIV)/6/ Rev.1) to the Council
unless the member had raised a specific reservation to be observed
by the Council, or requested that its name remain in the text.
Regarding the Draft Biennial Work Programme for 2004-2005, Chair
Ellis proposed, and the Committee agreed to, wording on the need for
greater transparency in associating the administrative budget and
other funding mechanisms with the Draft Biennial Work Programme for
2004-2005, that the Executive Director take steps to address this
concern for the next consideration of the Biennial Work Programme
and biennial administrative budget, and that the scope of the panel
of Sub-Account B of the Bali Partnership Fund be expanded to
consider, as an interim measure, the management of the unearmarked
fund for supporting projects and activities within the Biennial Work
Programme. BRAZIL and GABON requested inclusion of a description of
discussions on the development of regional office work plans. In the
paragraph on the election of a chairperson, the Secretariat noted
that the nomination by the Producer Group of a vice-chairperson is
pending. The Committee agreed to forward the report as amended to
the Council.
COMMITTEE ON REFORESTATION AND FOREST MANAGEMENT:
The CRF considered its draft report of the session (CRF(XXXIII)/9)
and approved it with minor amendments. Chair Henri-Félix Maître
confirmed that the dates and venues of the next two sessions of the
CRF will coincide with ITTC-36 and ITTC-37, and said that decision
on the date and venue of the thirty-sixth session of the CRF is
still pending. The CRF elected ASK Boachie-Dapaah (Ghana) as
Chairperson and Jennifer Conje (US) as Vice-Chairperson for 2004.
CHAIRPERSON'S OPEN-ENDED DRAFTING GROUP
The drafting group considered a list of proposed
activities in the ITTO Draft Work Programme for 2004-2005 to be
implemented by the ITTO Executive Director, and adopted a paragraph
requesting that the technical committees develop terms of reference
(ToR) for some of the activities.
On proposed cooperation with FAO to develop
guidelines for improving compliance, consumer country
representatives supported the activity, but opposed referring the
development of ToR to the technical committees. Regarding a proposal
to co-sponsor an international symposium on the impact of forest
certification in developing countries and emerging economies,
several participants stressed previous ITTO decisions not to favour
any one particular certification scheme. The Co-Chair said that
co-sponsoring a symposium would not constitute a political statement
on certification schemes, and the group accepted the proposal.
Delegates agreed to delete references to the
priority of projects in the document. Some members thought that the
drafting group should decide whether or not members would fund the
projects. ITTO Executive Director Manoel Sobral Filho noted that
only approved and financed projects appear in the decision.
Delegates agreed to add text referring to ITTC decisions that have
approved the projects contained in the Draft Work Programme for
2004-2005.
COUNCIL SESSION
REPORT OF THE CREDENTIALS COMMITTEE: Michael
Hicks (US) presented the report of the Credentials Committee to the
Council (ITTC(XXXV)/3), and said that the Committee examined and
accepted all members and observers.
INTERNATIONALLY TRADED AND POTENTIALLY TRADABLE
ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES PROVIDED BY TROPICAL FORESTS: Andy White,
Forest Trends, reviewed the current status and future potential of
markets for ecosystem services (ES) of tropical forests (ITTC(XXXV)/6).
Noting that different types of ES include watershed protection,
biodiversity protection and carbon sequestration, he said the main
buyers of ES are local, private investors. He said that the main
markets and payment schemes include: public payments to private
forest owners to maintain or enhance ES; open trading under a
regulatory cap; self-organized private deals; and eco-labelling. On
watershed protection, he stressed that investment in management is
substantially cheaper than investment in new water supply and
treatment facilities. On biodiversity protection, he highlighted the
market contribution of private corporations from industrial
countries, and noted the increasing demand for organic farm
products. On carbon sequestration, White said that the main
incentive is climate change mitigation, and that this could have
significant drivimplications for the forestry sector.
White said that the trade in ES could result in
land-rights claims by powerful groups, and contract negotiations
that exclude local communities. Identifying key findings of the
report, he highlighted that: the total value of payments for ES is
presently modest, but is expected to grow; payments for ES can
contribute to poverty alleviation; and governments play a critical
role as direct buyers of forest ES and as catalysts for private
sector investments. He said that since industrialized countries are
the main ES buyers, international competitiveness would increase. He
also called for the development of property rights and legal
frameworks.
PROMOTION OF SUSTAINABLE FOREST MANAGEMENT IN THE
CONGO BASIN: ITTC Chair Bin Che Yeom Freezailah (Malaysia) spoke
of a workshop to promote SFM in Africa and improve the management of
forest concessions based on ITTO guidelines, and said that the
report of the workshop is pending.
Cleto Ndikumagenge, ITTO Consultant, outlined a
review and assessment of experiences in forest management
partnerships undertaken in Central Africa, describing: background
information on the forestry sector; an assessment of forestry
management; experiences in forest management partnerships with,
inter alia, ITTO, the Worldwide Fund for Nature, the World
Conservation Society, and the French Development Agency; and
proposals for partnership models for the enhancement of forest
management (ITTC(XXXV)/11). He noted problems faced by the
partnerships, such as delays in the release of government funds,
lack of personnel with adequate technical expertise, and inadequate
monitoring and evaluation of field activities. Ndikumagenge
recommended, inter alia: the development of a monitoring and
evaluation mechanism; creation of a coordination mechanism for
partnerships; the improvement of management tools; and consolidation
of the roles of the private sector and civil society. During the
ensuing discussion, the US stressed the need to focus on capacity
building initiatives and the REPUBLIC OF CONGO underlined the
importance of developing forest management plans in the sub-region.
REPORTS OF THE COMMITTEES: After CRF Chair
Henri-Félix Maître (France) gave an overview of the CRF report,
BRAZIL proposed adding language stating that the chairs of the
working group would be appointed by the caucuses. Chair Maître said
this would not be included in the report, but would be noted in the
Council's report. ITTC Chair Freezailah noted that the Council would
consider the reports of the CEM, CFI and CFA on Saturday.
ITTO FELLOWSHIP PROGRAMME: Chair Freezailah
introduced the ITTO Fellowship Programme (ITTC(XXXV)/19), and the
Secretariat overviewed its implementation. ITTC Vice-Chair Jan
McAlpine (US) presented the Committee's report, urged countries to
better promote the fellowship programme, and encouraged more donor
countries to provide financial resources for the programme.
Vice-Chair McAlpine noted that approximately one-third of applicants
received awards. She encouraged more applications related to CEM and
CFI activities, and described the Committee's decision to update and
improve selection criteria for the Fellowship Programme. BRAZIL said
it was willing to contribute to the initiative, and recommended
developing a strategy to increase the Fellowship Programme's
benefits to countries.
DATES AND VENUES OF FUTURE COUNCIL SESSIONS:
ITTC Chair Freezailah announced that ITTC-36 would be held in
Interlaken, Switzerland from 20-23 July 2004. JAPAN confirmed that
ITTC-37 would be held in Yokohama, Japan, but that the dates had not
yet been confirmed. The REPUBLIC OF CONGO then confirmed that
ITTC-38 would be held in Brazzaville, Congo from 24-26 May 2005.
IN THE CORRIDORS
Some delegates were hopeful that, with the
participation of indigenous peoples in the Civil Society Advisory
Group panel, the practice of community forest management was gaining
international exposure. At the same time, some were of the view that
delegates from developed countries are not adequately in touch with
the needs of grassroots communities. Looking ahead to next week's
PrepCom, several delegates believed that there were not many
conceptual differences in member states' positions on a successor
agreement to ITTA, 1994, and noted that member states need to think
creatively to update the scope of the agreement. Others believed
that the focus on commodities in ITTA, 1994 has become outdated.
Some delegates indicated that specific guidance was needed on
coniferous plantation forests in the successor agreement.
THINGS TO LOOK FOR TODAY
CAUCUS MEETINGS: The Producer and Consumer
Groups will convene from 9:00-10:00 am in the Plenary Hall and the
Committee Room, respectively.
COUNCIL SESSION: The Council will convene in the
Plenary Hall from 10:00 am-12:00 pm to hear closing statements and
consider issues relating to: the Special Account and the Bali
Partnership Fund; the ITTO Fellowship Programme; the election of the
Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson of the Council for 2004; and the
Council's decisions and report.
ENB SUMMARY REPORT OF ITTC-35: The Earth
Negotiations Bulletin report, containing a summary and analysis of
ITTC-35, will be available on Monday 10 November, online at
http://enb.iisd.org/forestry/itto/ittc35/, and in hard copy for
participants to the Second Session of the Preparatory Committee for
Negotiating a Successor Agreement to the ITTA, 1994. |
