International timber groups urged to promote timber

Timber trade federations meeting in Geneva were urged to make a joint effort to promote the use of legal and sustainable timber in green building rating systems.

A call was also made at the International Timber Trade Federation Day conference on October 6-8 that federations should make sure implementation of national timber purchasing policies and legislation was done properly.

A total of 24 associations representing 35 different countries, as well as 10 global forest companies attended the event.

Discussions also focused on how to increase demand for legal and sustainable timber to prevent illegal logging and forests being converted into agricultural land.

The organiser, The Forest Trust, said the discussions were needed to bridge the disconnect between price-sensitive demand and high costs related to legal and sustainable production, which has so far limited responsible timber to niche markets.