The IDH Timber market program aims to drive EU sustainable tropical timber import to 40% by 2020. IDH also works on mobilizing investments (e.g. via the LDN Fund) and convening policy frameworks to reach market change, which is scalable.

Join our discussions on the current status of sustainable tropical timber in Europe, emerging lessons and ways forward.

When: Wednesday 12 June 2019 – 12.30 noon – 5.30pm

Interested in joining?

Agenda

12.15 noon – 5.30pm

13:00 Welcome by Daan Wensing (IDH Global Landscapes Director)

13:15 Launch of new data: Insights on the market share of verified sustainable tropical timber in Europe. Speakers: George White, Global Timber Forum & Mark van Benthem, Probos

13:40 Lessons from FLEGT and VPAs. Impact on the ground, improved policies and process. Speaker: Chris Beeko, Ghana Forestry Commission

14:05 Dialogues on the differences and synergies of FLEGT and certification. Speakers: John Hontelez, FSC & Remi Sournia, PEFC & David Hopkins, UK Timber Trade Federation

14:35 Coffee break

15:05 Reflection on the role of the EC in promoting sustainable trade. Speakers: DG Trade and (tbc) DG Environment

15:35 Call to Action: Exploring action by frontrunning EU governments. Speakers: Tbc

15:50 Wrap up

16:00 Networking drinks


Speakers

Chris Beeko was the coordinator during the Ghana-EU VPA negotiation phase as well as a key member of the negotiation team. He is now Director of the Department that is leading Ghana in the development of technical systems for the implementation of the VPA. The Department he heads, the Timber Validation Department, is also the internally place auditor under Ghana’s TLAS arrangement. He is a forester and has interests in matters of forest governance.

Highlights from the presentation:

  1. The Mechanism that give effect to a functioning Legality Assurance System (LAS)
  2. Building a shared narrative of Legality of Timber
  3. The leverage of a willing market/demand side

Chris Beeko


 

To this end, IDH convened the European Sustainable Tropical Timber Coalition (STTC), and supports bi-annual market monitoring studies to make the EU tropical tim­ber market more transparent and to create accountability.

The European Sustainable Tropical Timber Coalition (STTC) is an alliance of industry, business, government and NGOs dedicated to increasing European demand for sustainably sourced tropical timber. The STTC’s aim is to develop the market in order to incentivise the growth and spread of responsible forest management in tropical countries.

STTC

 

This afternoon is part of a series of events IDH is (co-)organizing during the International Sustainability Week Towards Deforestation-free, Sustainable Commodities of the Amsterdam Declaration Partnership.

Contact us for more information

  • Nienke Sleurink

    Program Manager Markets

  • Chih-Ching Lan

    Program officer Markets