The Timber Trade Federation (TTF) is “pleased” that the problem of illegal logging has been recognised by the world’s leading powers at the G8 summit.
But TTF chief executive John White said he was also disappointed that more concrete steps were not taken by the G8 leaders at Gleneagles.
Mr White said: “I am very pleased that the subject of illegal logging was so high on the agenda of the G8. It has been discussed and been recognised as a pretty big problem for the world.”
But he said the final G8 communiqué wording represented a “cop out” by the US, which he described as less supportive of action than other G8 member countries.
The G8 said it would take forward the conclusions endorsed at an earlier meeting of G8 environment and development ministers, with “each country acting where it can contribute most effectively”.
The G8 statement said: “We agree that working to tackle illegal logging is an important step towards the sustainable management of forests. To tackle this issue effectively requires action from both timber-producing and timber-consuming countries.”
G8 nations are committed to encourage, adopt or extend public procurement policies that favour legal timber and help producer countries combat corruption, while also using remote sensing, geographical information systems and other tools to monitor forest activities.
The summit recognised the impact of illegal logging on global sustainable development, as well as the importance of carbon sinks in the Congo Basin and Amazon.
