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Fall in illegal Brazilian logging leads global figures
16/07/2010
Illegal logging in Brazil has shrunk by between 50 and 75 per cent since 2002, according to one of the most thorough investigations into the illegal timber trade.
A report by London-based thinktank Chatham House has found that the important forestry countries of Brazil, Indonesia and Cameroon have all seen comparable reductions in the amount of illegal timber being sold from their shores. They each enormously outstrip the global average drop of 22 per cent.
The company credited consumer pressure, stringently enforced legal restrictions from importing countries and significant media attention as reasons behind the drop.
The report's lead author, Sam Lawson, said the numbers were an improvement but did not mean that illegal logging was anywhere close to being eradicated, and remained a major problem
"The figures sounds like a lot, but bear in mind that illegal logging was such a bad problem in those countries that even though it's reduced substantially, it still is a bad problem," he said.
"So in Indonesia, for example, 40 per cent of the harvesting is still illegal."
Global and governmental trade standards have steadily contributed to the decline in illegal timber, culminating in last week's passing in the European Parliament of a Europe-wide ban on the sale of timber harvested illegally. Previously, countries signing up to the EU's Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) scheme were obliged to supply legally cut timber only, and received in return financial and technical help to make their forestry sustainable.
A report by London-based thinktank Chatham House has found that the important forestry countries of Brazil, Indonesia and Cameroon have all seen comparable reductions in the amount of illegal timber being sold from their shores. They each enormously outstrip the global average drop of 22 per cent.
The company credited consumer pressure, stringently enforced legal restrictions from importing countries and significant media attention as reasons behind the drop.
The report's lead author, Sam Lawson, said the numbers were an improvement but did not mean that illegal logging was anywhere close to being eradicated, and remained a major problem
"The figures sounds like a lot, but bear in mind that illegal logging was such a bad problem in those countries that even though it's reduced substantially, it still is a bad problem," he said.
"So in Indonesia, for example, 40 per cent of the harvesting is still illegal."
Global and governmental trade standards have steadily contributed to the decline in illegal timber, culminating in last week's passing in the European Parliament of a Europe-wide ban on the sale of timber harvested illegally. Previously, countries signing up to the EU's Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) scheme were obliged to supply legally cut timber only, and received in return financial and technical help to make their forestry sustainable.
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