Ewald Rametsteiner

Forest certification—an instrument to promote sustainable forest management?

Forest certification was introduced in the early 1990s to address concerns of deforestation and forest degradation and to promote the maintenance of biological diversity, especially in the tropics. Initially pushed by environmental groups, it quickly evolved as a potential instrument to promote sustainable forest management (SFM). To date about 124 million ha or 3.2% of the worlds forests have been certified by the different certification schemes created over the last decade. Forest certification shares the aim of promoting SFM with another tool, namely criteria and indicators (C&I) for SFM. C&I sets are mainly developed for the national level to describe and monitor status and trends in forests and forest management. They also provide an essential reference basis for forest certification standards, which set performance targets to be applied on a defined area. Progress in developing these two different tools has been significant. After 10 years of implementation, it is evident that the original intention to save tropical biodiversity through certification has largely failed to date. Most of certified areas are in the temperate and boreal zone, with Europe as the most important region. Only around ten per cent is located in tropical countries. The standards used for issuing certificates upon compliance are diverse, both between certification schemes and within one and the same scheme when applied in different regions. However, they are at least equal to legal requirements and often include elements that set actually higher standards. While the quality of actual audits of the standards is of varying quality, there are indications that independent audits are an incentive for improving forest management. As a voluntary market-based tool, forest certification is depending on the ability to cover the costs incurred and thus on often-elusive green consumer sentiment. Regardless of many difficulties, forest certification has been very successful in raising awareness and disseminating knowledge on a holistic SFM concept, embracing economic, environmental and social issues, worldwide. It also provides a tool for a range of other applications than assessment of sustainability, such as e.g. verifying carbon sinks.

The role of governments in forest certification—a normative analysis based on new institutional economics theories

Abstract Forest certification is an issue that changes the forestry sector more profoundly than many governmental initiatives. Governments have taken quite different approaches across the globe and over time in dealing with the phenomenon. In most regions, they have seemingly switched to a ‘wait and see’ mode when confronted with the complex and fast-developing issue of forest certification. This paper explores the usefulness of economic theories to come up with recommendations on the role of governments. The approach taken is mainly based on ‘new institutional economics’ theories, especially on economics of information and related agent issues. Data collected from policy makers are used to compare theoretical positions against empirical findings ( Werle, 1997 ). The paper shows that the economic theories applied provide rather clear indications on the role of governments. There are essential roles, such as ensuring compatibility with laws and international obligations. These have largely been fulfilled. Ensuring legal compliance, however, might well not be the only guiding function that governments should exert for the sake of market transparency, and thus market efficiency. That concerns both setting standards for forest management and roles in setting up and running private certification systems.

Grounding international modes of governance into National Forest Programmes

Abstract In this article we outline three different modes of natural resource governance that can be traced in international policy making and planning over the last 40 years. We show that a shift from the hierarchical to the heterarchical mode of governance can be found in natural resource governance. Agenda 21 introduced new planning ideas to the international decision-making process, with all countries and levels of government asked to assume responsibility for natural resource policy. Deliberation and participation of major groups is now emphasised, and forests are viewed at the international level as an inter-state matter of a transboundary nature. The deliberations and outputs of the Intergovernmental Panel on Forests (IPF), the Intergovernmental Forum on Forests (IFF) and the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF) are an empirical validation of this. We further argue that different planning approaches were inspired by the hierarchical and heterarchical modes of governance. The Tropical Forestry Action Plan, aimed at reducing deforestation in tropical forest countries, was primarily a technocratic planning tool, implemented by external staff and focused mainly on the forestry sector. National Forest Programmes (NFP), on the contrary, are oriented at implementing international commitments to enhance sustainable forest management following deliberative and participatory approaches at the national level. NFPs can also be seen as a framework for national decision-making activities, hence this shift in the mode of governance is also reflected at the national level. We further outline what the international community expects NFPs to deliver, as referred to in the Proposals for Action issued by the IPF and IFF. Analysis indicates that those IPF/IFF Proposals for Action making reference to NFPs are in those categories calling for improved international co-operation and technology transfer, as well as the provision of financial assistance and the promotion of public participation. We propose a conceptual framework for assessing the implementation of the IPF/IFF Proposals for Action at the national level. This assessment can be used to identify and communicate relevant topics, priorities, implementation responsibilities and implementation gaps. It can also be used as an ex post-evaluation tool to analyse the implementation of international agreements.

The impact of SFM-certification on forest product markets in Western Europe -- an analysis using a forest sector simulation model

Abstract In the international discussion on labels for sustainably produced wood products based on the certification of sustainable forest management (SFM), little attention has been paid to what is probably the most crucial part of any market-based instrument: the potential impact on forest products markets. This paper analyses the potential impact of SFM-certification on forest products markets using a simulation model of the Western European forest sector. Two scenarios with assumptions regarding certification (chain-of-custody costs, timber supply reduction from certified forests) are projected for the period 1995–2015 and tested against the results of a base scenario (‘business as usual’). In general, the results show that rather modest changes are to be expected from SFM-certification in forest products markets. The market impact of a timber supply reduction from certified forest would be more distinct than the impacts of chain-of-custody costs. Industry gross profits would decrease more than production. Due to the large share of roundwood costs in total costs, the sawmill industry would be affected more by even small changes in raw-material prices than the panel and paper industry.