A WWF report questioning the credibility of Pan European Forest Certification (PEFC) has provoked a strong response from the PEFC Council.
Ben Gunneberg, PEFC Council secretary-general, said the WWF’s ‘sensationalised’ press statement about the report contained ‘unsubstantiated claims and biased opinions’. He said PEFC was not contacted during the study.
The report, PEFC – An Analysis, claims the system does not comply with basic requirements of forest certification and cannot guarantee wood products come from woodland free of environmental and social conflict.
Chairman of the WWF’s European Forest Team Heiko Liedeker said: ‘We are now convinced that the PEFC label cannot provide any guarantee of good forest management to timber industries, retailers and consumers.’
The report also says PEFC certificates were not based on the commitment of individual forest owners as they were awarded to large regions – a point rejected by the PEFC Council.
