European Tropical Forest Research Network

Organisations - Institutions - Programmes

Table of contents

RENEGOTIATING THE ITTA: WILL DELEGATES LOOK FORWARD OR BACKWARD?

By Andy White

Recent meetings of the International Tropical Timber Council (ITTC) have perhaps been most remarkable for their lack of controversy. Delegates debated and made progress on what had previously been highly contentious issues - such as certification, illegal logging and the role of civil society within the ITTC - the very issues that have long paralysed the Council and drove many NGOs to dismiss it as an irrelevant, if not destructive, force in tropical forestry. An emerging consensus - or at least an ability to speak openly about these issues - bodes well for the future of the ITTC and suggests that it is finally in a position to address some of the underlying causes of tropical forest degradation - positioning it to become a much more effective institution in the future than in the past.

While the emerging openness is encouraging, the ITTC is still very far from realising its own objective that all timber exports from all member countries would come from sustainably managed sources by the year 2000. To make good this Objective 2000 and to realise the ITTC's potential to become a driving force for saving tropical forests and forestry, the Council will need to rethink its own scope and focus during the renegotiations of the ITTA. Forest Trends sees three priority issues for the Council to consider in its upcoming deliberations:

1. Prioritise fulfilling its commitment to sustainable development. The fate of tropical forests and forestry is inextricably linked to the fate of the hundreds of millions of poor forest dwellers around the world. The ITTC has committed itself to contributing to sustainable development, but has not developed a vision or articulated a strategy regarding how forestry and forest trade can make a difference. To succeed, the ITTC will need to come to grips with the equity dimensions of the timber trade. Indigenous and other communities now legally own or administer about 25% of all tropical forests, and at current rates this amount could double in the next 15 years. This means that forest communities can no longer be considered passive participants, but rather as leading decision makers in the fate of the forests. The steps forward are clear: the ITTC should aggressively assist producer and consumer countries to adopt policies that recognise and strengthen indigenous and other community rights and 'level the playing field' for communities and other small-scale producers - reforming policies and regulations to allow them to compete and use their forest resources for their development. For far too long, governments have given preferential treatment to large industry rather than small ones and have acted to consolidate power in a small set of industrial players - with devastating effects for the forests, for the people, and for government revenues.
2. Revamp the 'project' funding mechanism to finance work on the fundamental policy issues driving forest degradation. While current 'technical' projects are useful, they do not substantially address the real problems in the forests. The ITTC needs to take advantage of the increasing openness and emerging sense of partnership to finance policy studies, technical assistance and pilot projects to advance forest tenure reform, the removal of subsidies to large-scale industry and the establishment of policy and regulatory frameworks that do not discriminate against small holders and communities. The issue of tenure reform merits particular focus. Disagreement over who owns and who should own the forest is the rule rather than the exception in many tropical forest countries. This uncertainty and the insecurity it generates undermines any possibility of sound management and sustained investment. Becoming more relevant and effective requires the ITTC to no longer ignore the need for tenure reform and other fundamental issues, but rather embrace them and provide technical assistance to its many members in grappling with these problems.
3. Protect natural forests and embrace markets for the ecosystem services of natural forests. The ITTO was formed to save natural tropical forests - not the global timber trade. Managing the timber trade was a means to an end for conservation. In contrast to the early days of the ITTO, one of the biggest threats to sustained conservation of tropical forests is tree plantations - which, according to the ITTO's own figures, are likely to provide up to one-half of all industrial supply within 15 years. Plantations undoubtedly have a legitimate and important role in meeting global demand - the problem lies in the fact that most plantations are heavily subsidised, either directly or indirectly, tipping the scales against natural forests and thereby undermining the value of natural forests and the potential for investment and conservation. Unfortunately, the ITTO has too often acted as a neutral observer in this growing competition between plantations and natural forests. It is time for the ITTO to return to its roots and become a clear and unabashed advocate for natural forests and their conservation, arguing against subsidies to plantations and embracing tools, markets and policies that advance the interest of natural forests.

Chief among these new markets that should be stimulated by the ITTO are markets for forest ecosystem services. Without payments for ecosystem services, natural forest management will find it very difficult to compete with alternative land uses - whether soybeans, oil palm or fiber plantations - and the industry reliant on natural forests will wither, and with it the livelihood options of millions of the world's poorest. The ITTO has already funded some ecosystem service projects and the Council should explore every alternative to increase the ITTC's support for the development of these new markets.

The ITTC has come a long way since its inception in 1985. The emerging consensus, established organisational capacity and dedicated member governments mean its future is bright. With the renegotiation of the ITTA, delegates have an opportunity to reshape and remake the ITTC, enabling it to address the real, underlying drivers of topical forest degradation, contribute to sustainable development and assume a position of leadership in the global forest community. Our hope is that the negotiators are ready for the challenge, and that they will look to the future, and not the past, for their inspiration.

Further information:
Andy White, Director Policy and Market Analysis Forest Trends
1050 Potomac Street NW
20007 Washington DC
USA
E-mail: awhyte@forest-trends.org

Top of page