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To mark its 70^th anniversary, the International Tropical Timber Technical Association (ATIBT) is hosting a special forum at the 2022 Carrefour International du Bois in Nantes.

“It will be a major occasion for us, with a range of discussions, presentations and seminars,” said ATIBT managing director Benoît Jobbé-Duval. “Attending will be members from the tropical timber industry from Africa and Europe, experts from academia and ministers from Congo Basin countries and our donors. It will be an exciting event with considerable interest for the wider timber sector and we’re expecting a strong audience of show visitors and other delegates.”

The Forum will naturally cover ATIBT’s development and achievements over seven decades. But Mr Jobbé-Duval stressed the principal focus will be its current wide ranging activities and  ambitions for the future. To further the environmental, technical and economic development of the tropical forest industry and grow the international market for its certified sustainable timber and wood products. “It will essentially be about our core objective, which to sum up is to grow the tropical forest economy by supporting good governance and helping increase the value of legally and sustainably certified forest and timber to avoid deforestation,” he said.

The rationale for the 1952 launch of ATIBT, at the instigation of the UN Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) and Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) was somewhat different. “Europe was in post-war reconstruction and its forests were depleted,” explained Mr Jobbé-Duval. “ATIBT was created to research and enhance the technical and logistical capabilities and develop the export capacity of the African tropical timber sector as a source of wood for Europe.”

The organisation, he added, worked closely with the French Tropical Forest Technical Centre (CTFT) to establish the technical performance of tropical species and their suitability for different applications and to help improve timber production. “Today we work on these and other technical issues with the French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development CIRAD, which integrated the CTFT and today operates worldwide,” said Mr Jobbé-Duval. “We also have a close association with Gembloux Agro Bio-Tech at the University of Liège and its professor of tropical forestry Jean-Louis Doucet and with technical centres in Africa.”

While some aspects of its technical activities remained constant, however, ATIBT’s role increasingly widened. Its focus turning ever more to enhancing forest maintenance as both an economic engine for tropical countries and an environmental resource for both them and the wider world. “In the Congo Basin, where we principally operate, the forestry sector is vital to national economies and the biggest employer after states themselves,” said Mr Jobbé-Duval. “As we move into the post-fossil fuel era, it will become even more important. Enhancing and developing the industry is key for producer countries’ future.” Sustainable forest management, he added, is central to maintaining both its economic and environmental value. ATIBT was involved in implementation of the first forest management plans in the 1990s. Into the 2000s it became increasingly focused on promoting forest and timber industry certification and its interlinked goals to enhance the environmental, economic and social performance of the sector.

Subsequently, it became involved in the development of the EU Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) initiative. It supports countries in their implementation of FLEGT Voluntary Partnership Agreements (VPAs) and associated timber legality assurance systems. It also works with timber businesses, and particularly small to medium-sized enterprises, in meeting the due diligence requirements of European importers under the EU Timber Regulation (EUTR).

Today ATIBT is most active in the Republic of Congo, Gabon and Cameroon, but also works with the industries of Ivory Coast and the Democratic Republic of Congo and has a few contacts with the Central African Republic. “We have some linkages too with Liberia, Ghana and Nigeria and would like to further develop our contacts and work with them,” said Mr Jobbé-Duval. ATIBT has also been building bridges beyond Africa. “We have a strong connection with the Malaysian Timber Council and have been developing contacts in Brazil, Guatemala and Peru,” said Mr Jobbé-Duval. At the same time, ATIBT is concerned not to over-extend its resources. “The situation in the Congo Basin forest sector remains complex and challenging, there are ever more topics to address and issues to resolve,” said Mr Jobbé-Duval. “We must keep that in mind as we develop connections with other countries.”

ATIBT’s major donors include the FAO, Germany’s KfW promotional and development bank (via the Certified Forestry Promotion Programme (PPECF), the French Development Agency, the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and the EU. Currently its membership comprises 55% industry professionals, concession managers, timber producers and traders, 45% experts from academia and research institutes, and trade associations. “Our aim is to grow membership overall,” said Mr Jobbé-Duval. “But, in particular we want to attract more people working in the sector, to get their input and engage with the industry even more effectively.”

ATIBT’s role is also to talk out to the market about the capabilities and potential applications of tropical timber and the positive social and environmental impacts of using certified wood and timber products. Five years ago it stepped up its activity here with the launch of the Fair&Precious campaign. With its consumer and specifier-facing website, which through images, articles and films covers everything from the workability, unique aesthetics, and durability of tropical wood, to how certified sustainable forest management provides livelihoods, enhances social welfare and supports forest maintenance. “Tropical timber still has an image problem with many people, who see cutting down trees in tropical forests as inherently bad, a contributor to deforestation,” said Mr Jobbé-Duval. “The central message of Fair&Precious is that certified sustainable timber production is actually a key part of the solution to halting and reversing deforestation and forest degradation.” Fair&Precious industry partners must sign up to 10 commitments, including pledges to protect habitats, flora and fauna and to operate ethically to ensure the welfare of workers and communities living in and around forests. Last year these were further validated through research by Gembloux Agro Bio-Tech, which demonstrated that supporting certified sustainable forest management was the best way to meet them all.

Fair&Precious has also worked closely with the Sustainable Tropical Timber Coalition (STTC), which is dedicated to analysis and development of the European market for certified tropical wood. Its funding by Dutch government-backed IDH-The Sustainable Trade initiative ended recently, but ATIBT expects interest from donors to secure its operation for the coming years.

Lobbying on behalf of the tropical timber industry is another ATIBT function and recently it has been vigorously pressing the 2024 Paris Olympics organisers’ to drop their rule barring use of tropical wood in Games buildings and other developments. “The ban was a poor decision, potentially undermining trust in sustainable tropical timber, and we’ve had discussions with the organisers and Paris mayor,” said Mr Jobbé-Duval. “We’re optimistic for a positive outcome.”

Recently, ATIBT has also been working to strengthen the PEFC certification scheme’s foothold in Africa, taking on the role of project leader for PAFC (Pan-African Forest Certification) Congo-Basin. Bringing together the national PAFC bodies of Cameroon, The Republic of Congo and Gabon, it is the first regional certification scheme to be PEFC endorsed. It’s maintained it will increase efficiency and encourage uptake of certification across all three countries and, combining their resources, achieve greater market impact.

With the implementation of the EU’s Green Deal, ATIBT sees its role becoming more relevant still. “A major objective of the Deal is to combat deforestation, while we support uptake of certified sustainable forest management – it’s one and the same thing,” said Mr Jobbé-Duval.

The organisation also backs in principle the proposed new EU regulation to combat so-called imported deforestation and forest degradation, although is concerned by some aspects. In its current form, the regulation would supersede the EUTR, assimilate elements of FLEGT VPAs, and end FLEGT licensed timber’s due-diligence-free, green pass into the EU. “FLEGT VPAs have made a significant contribution to improving tropical forest governance and in countries where they are advanced, we believe they should continue to be supported,” said Mr Jobbé-Duval.

Going forward, ATIBT sees a growing role in supporting development of tropical countries’ value-added, further processing and finished wood product industries and encouraging their consumption of certified sustainable timber. “Their domestic markets are growing, driven particularly by emergence of more affluent middle classes,” said Mr Jobbé-Duval. “But much of their timber is from what we’d describe as the informal rather than certified sustainable sector.”

Increased market penetration of lesser-known certified tropical species (LKTS) is another goal to reduce supply stress on more popular varieties and make certified sustainable forest management more economically viable. “We are working on this in particular with FSC Denmark and with CIRAD, which has already produced technical 250 species data sheets,” said Mr Jobbé-Duval.

So, there will be plenty to talk about at ATIBT’s 70^th anniversary Forum. “The environmental, economic and social role of certified, sustainable tropical timber is only set to grow and we almost have too much to discuss,” said Mr Jobbé-Duval. “We’ll have to be very rigorous in selection of topics.”

• ATIBT’s forum takes place from June 1-3, preceded by its AGM and gala dinner on May 31.

 

Fair&Precious Partners in the spotlight

In the latest in our series of interviews with Fair&Precious Partners, we ask Belgian trade federation Fedustria about its role and objectives.

STTC/F&P: How would you describe Fedustria; who you are, what you do and what you stand for?

Fedustria: Fedustria is the Belgian federation of the textile, woodworking and furniture industries. We represent some 1,700 companies in Belgium (of which more than 90% are SMEs), which together create more than 36,300 direct jobs and generate turnover of € 8.9 billion, with 70% coming from exports.

Our mission is to help companies in the textile, wood and furniture industry to develop successfully by preserving and strengthening their competitiveness, which is achieved through a wide range of specialised services.

STTC/F&P: Why did Fedustria become a Fair&Precious member?

Fedustria: We strongly believe in the importance of sustainable forest management in preserving tropical forests and in providing economic, social and ecological benefits to society. Above that, using more certified sustainable timber is a good way to tackle climate change. By joining forces together with Fair&Precious, we are stronger in sending these messages.

STTC/F&P: The tropical timber sector has battled to hold on to market share in recent times. What do you see as its challenges?

Fedustria: One of the major challenges facing use of wood in general is the negative perception about harvesting wood. Consumers want beautiful wooden furniture, interiors and so on, but they do not seem to understand that a tree has to be cut down to have this wood available. For tropical timber, this negative perception is even worse.

Another challenge are green claims made for other materials, through major promotion campaigns, which are sometimes green washing. We, in turn, must be careful not to let different types of wood or applications compete with each other – there are enough opportunities to use wood and each wood species has its own characteristics and possibilities.

STTC/F&P: Does Fedustria believe the tropical timber sector can recover lost ground in the European market?

Fedustria: We certainly see opportunities to increase tropical timber use, but with certified timber playing a key role in this.

STTC/F&P: Where does Fedustria see greatest possibilities for growing tropical timber use?

Fedustria: We see great opportunities in construction, as one of the key value chains of the European Commission’s Green Deal and Circular Economy Action Plan. The EC acknowledges the importance of circularity in construction and sustainable tropical timber is a perfect circular, bio-based building material.

STTC/F&P: Do you see new applications opening up for tropical timber in Belgium?

Fedustria: Lots of research and innovation is underway, both in techniques for using it and the species used. We certainly see new applications arising in construction across the EU. That’s why we’re also very active in the European Confederation of Woodworking Industries CEI-Bois, where innovation is monitored closely and technical issues discussed.

 STTC/F&P: Does Fedustria also have a role talking out to the specifiers and the wider market?

Fedustria: In 2021 we launched our ‘Wood: The natural choice’ promotion campaign. It focuses on climate and sustainability as among the many reasons for choosing wood. It aims to make target groups, including architects, interior designer, contractors, journalists and policy makers, aware that wood is an excellent material for multiple applications – https://houtdennatuurlijkekeuze.be.

STTC/F&P: What would Fedustria advise the sales pitch for sustainable tropical timber should be?

Fedustria: “Wood. The natural choice – use more sustainable tropical timber and help tackle climate change!” Moreover, by using certified sustainable tropical timber, tropical forests will have economic value, which is key to safeguarding their future.

 STTC/F&P: Longer term, is Fedustria optimistic for the sustainable tropical timber sector?

Fedustria: Of course. We are strongly convinced of the positive story of sustainable tropical timber. The important thing is that everyone in the value chain is involved and sees the necessity of certified sustainable forest management, from producers to importers to consumers. We just need to repeat our messages again and again, and that’s why we welcome initiatives such as Fair&Precious, which bring all those stakeholders together!

Photo: Mark van Benthem – Probos

If EU and UK imports of certified tropical timber were 100% certified it would benefit 16 million hectares of forest in terms of supporting sustainable management (SFM). This is the headline figure in the new report on trade in certified primary and secondary tropical timber products from forest and timber sustainability analysts and advisors Probos. Commissioned by IDH-The Sustainable Trade Initiative and the European Sustainable Tropical Timber Coalition (STTC), Europe’s sourcing of verified tropical timber and its impacts: What next? was undertaken in association with the Global Timber Forum. It follows previous separate reports on the two tropical timber product groups.

The report analyses the market in 2020, the target year the STTC programme set for EU and UK tropical imports to be 50% certified, and urges ‘redoubling of efforts to drive tropical industry sustainability’ to maintain tropical forests and their critical climate regulation role. The report bases its calculation of EU and UK certified tropical timber imports on the exposure to certification method developed by the FLEGT Independent Market Monitor. This takes the total area of forest certified in a supplier country and applies that percentage to exports to specific markets. By this measure, it estimates that still only 30-36% of EU and UK tropical timber imports are derived from certified sustainable forestry, while 30% are covered by third-party verified legality schemes or FLEGT-licensed. On the basis that SFM prevents premature re-entry logging, the report states, it also reduces emissions, calculating that if all EU and UK tropical imports were certified, there would have been a saving in 2020 of 88 million tonnes of CO2.

Probos Director Mark van Benthem said that increasing global wood consumption must be harnessed to increase uptake of SFM. “End users are returning to timber from more environmentally damaging materials, creating market opportunities for tropical producers, and giving value to forests via verified sustainable timber incentivises sustainable management,” he said. The EU and the UK may not be the leading players in the international timber trade, or in terms of tropical imports, they once were. But, says the report, they remain key influencers in the market and are at the forefront in requiring verified sustainable timber products. The report recommends that they develop new strategies to support tropical producer countries and their adoption of SFM. These include creation of markets for lesser-known tropical species, backing output of secondary wood products in supplier countries and guiding legislative changes that encourage SFM.

At a time when the EU is reviewing the future of the FLEGT scheme, with its proposed new regulation to ensure deforestation-free imports seeing it superseded by new ‘forest partnerships’ with supplier countries, it is also pointed out that 75% of Europe’s tropical timber imports are from countries in FLEGT Voluntary Partnership Agreements. This, says the report, ‘suggests FLEGT remains important to both producing countries and importers’. It also says that ‘increasing certification rates and total imports of certified products via procurement policy, legislation and consumer awareness campaigns are crucial for Europe to maintain its market competitiveness and ability to drive SFM practices abroad’.

“The clock is ticking on the climate crisis and it’s more essential than ever that the EU and UK take leadership in guiding inclusive processes to protect forests and support sustainable timber,” it states. Click here to download the full report.

Photo: World Meteorological Organisation

Positives and deficiencies are seen in COP26 outcomes by the lead certification schemes and other bodies focused on sustainable development of forest and timber sectors as a core element in tackling the climate crisis. Heralded as a game changer at the Glasgow UN Conference was the Declaration on Forests and Land Use (DFLU), which is backed with €14 billion in funding and pledges signatories to end deforestation by 2030.

FSC Director General Kim Carstensen saw it as a major move in the right direction that countries clearly recognised the central role of forests to keep global warming below 2°C – ‘let alone 1.5°C’. “As expected it did not solve all the climate change problems,” he said. “Nevertheless I’m confident the world is a better place after COP26. We got the basic rules of the Paris Agreement approved and saw most countries gather behind explicit ambition for better protection and management of forests.”

While sustainable management was recognised in the conference’s focus on forests, however, Mr Carstensen said it still seemed to be ‘a bit of an add-on in thinking’. “We need to push for a higher level of understanding of the positive role responsible forest management can play in solving the world’s big crises, including climate change and biodiversity loss.”. But ‘very encouraging’ he added was the strong recognition by governments of the role indigenous peoples, its ‘most important custodians’, play in forest maintenance.

PEFC International Head of Communications Thorsten Arndt said the DFLU and Forest, Agriculture and Commodity Trade Roadmap unveiled at COP26 represent key commitments to safeguard forests. “But one of the most straightforward solutions to fight climate change didn’t get quite the attention it deserves: sustainable forest management and forests’ dual role as both carbon sinks and providers of renewable resources that store carbon and substitute fossil fuel intensive materials,” he said.
More action was needed to encourage uptake of policies promoting sustainable forest management, forest certification, and wood products from sustainable sources. “This is especially relevant for tropical timber,” said Mr Arndt. “Given competing pressures on forests and land use, we must increase efforts to add value to forests to keep them standing. Business can be instrumental by specifying certification systems in procurement, thus contributing to recognition of sustainable working forests’ full benefits.”

Richard Wainwright, Communications Manager at forest and rights NGO FERN said, while advances were made at COP26, its shortcomings were ‘alarming’. He described the DFLU as being a ‘rehash of previous unfulfilled commitments’. “Its promise to halt and reverse forest loss and land degradation by 2030 was out of step with what’s needed,” he said. Unless further measures were taken, the ‘prospect of a low carbon, nature positive and climate resilient future’ would be unattainable’.

Mr Wainwright said key questions on funding pledges after the Declaration on Forests were ‘whether money will materialize, how it will be spent and who will make the decisions’. “What FERN wants to see is the UK and EU turn this around; to reinvigorate FLEGT, come up with a strong deforestation law and stop supporting burning wood for energy,” he said.

Mark van Benthem, Director of forest and timber sustainability analysts and advisors and STTC founding partner Probos, said he was pleased about the recognition at COP26 that, besides climate change mitigation, they were critical for protecting livelihoods, preserving ecosystems, and biodiversity maintenance. “This does justice to the value forests represent and helps drive the STTC and Fair&Precious agenda, growing the market for verified sustainable timber to incentivise sustainable forest management,” he said. On the DFLU, he acknowledged criticism that such announcements have been made before. “But this time the leaders represent over 85% of forests, equivalent to 3.7 billion hectares and, significantly, it includes the key tropical forests of Brazil, Democratic Republic of Congo and Indonesia,” he said. “That said, there’s an awful lot to do in nine years.”

Latest developments to strengthen international forest and forest product trade governance, and its key role in achieving sustainability targets, including the goals of the COP26 Declaration on Forests, were the theme of a seminar in London. The event featured presentations from the Independent Market Monitor (IMM) on FLEGT and from Timber Development UK (TDUK) on the new Tropical Timber Accord (TTA). It formed part of the TDUK’s World of Wood Festival, a six-week exhibition including a series of seminars and discussions co-organised with CEI-Bois. This was timed to coincide with COP26 to highlight to policy makers the vital part forestry and timber, notably wood in construction, must play in combating the climate crisis.

IMM Trade Analyst Rupert Oliver highlighted the significance of FLEGT VPA partner countries in the global timber industry, accounting for 11% of world trade, a percentage that’s rising thanks to rapidly climbing Vietnamese wood furniture sales to the US. He said there was so far ‘no strong signal of significant market benefits [for Indonesia] attributable directly to FLEGT licensing’, adding that FLEGT was a ‘slow burn, not a silver bullet’. But he said it had achieved ‘considerable reach and influence in global forest trade and should be built on …… with efforts to promote a favourable position for FLEGT-licensed timber, including via UK/EUTR enforcement and communication of FLEGT’s contribution to sustainable forest management in partner countries’.

Lead Consultant Sarah Storck said IMM’s trade surveys in VPA partner countries had found respondents were positive FLEGT could increase in impact in line with growth in national and regional timber market legality regulation, which now covers 49% of global timber trade.

TDUK chief executive David Hopkins said the goal of the Tropical Timber Accord (TTA), drawn up with trade body partners globally, was to develop a new international tropical timber trade framework focused on governance. Under the initiative, supplier countries which improved forest and timber trade legality performance would receive ‘green lane’ access to consumer markets worldwide, including key players such as the EU/UK, USA, China and Japan. This, said Mr Hopkins, would lead to growth in the legal, sustainable forest products market and attract investment to keep forests standing.

Click here to view the seminar and visit www.flegtimm.eu for a full report.