Fred Gale Senior Lecturer University of Tasmania The Evolution of Forest Certification: A Comparative Analysis of Four Countries Experiences

Transcription

1 Fred Gale Senir Lecturer University f Tasmania The Evlutin f Frest Certificatin: A Cmparative Analysis f Fur Cuntries Experiences

2 Natinal Wd Prducts Frum & Wrkshp 2012: Certificatin: Grwing Demand. Increasing Cnfidence. The Evlutin f Frest Certificatin: A Cmparative Analysis f Fur Cuntries Experiences Dr Fred Gale Schl f Gvernment University f Tasmania

3 Origins f Interest in Certificatin Became interested in certificatin during PhD research n ITTO (early 1990s); ITTO dd bdy: ICO fr prducers and cnsumers f trpical timber; Aimed t prmte TT trade, but als cncerned t make it sustainable ; Envirnmental Civil Sciety Organisatins (ECSOs) lbbied ITTO t adpt SFM at biannual meetings; ITTO hamstrung by disagreements between prducers and cnsumers; 1989 Sarawak Missin defining mment ECSOs realised hpelessness f ITTO apprach; Sught alternatives t intergvernmentalism and began explring market-based gvernance; ITTO failure spurred ECSO interest in certificatin and labelling;

4 Frest Certificatin in Canada FSC CSA SFI Canada rife with frest cnflict; Temagami (Ontari), aerial spraying (Nva Sctia), Clayqut Sund (BC); FSC funded in Trnt, 1993; Industry cmpetitr schemes cmmenced: SFI (1995), CSA (1996) Canada s certificatin war (Humphreys 2006) begins; Negtiatin n FSC reginal standards began in BC ( ), Maritime Prvinces ( ), Breal frests ( ); Fast grwth f CSA scheme; slw but steady grwth f FSC; CSA under pressure frm SFI and FSC pst GFC?

5 Why? FSC scheme slw t get established as cmplex crss-cnstituency negtiatins required between envirnmental, scial, ecnmic and indigenus grups; Absence f reginal standards in 1990s meant few frests culd btain certificatin; interim standards nt permitted in mst prvinces and territries; Only in early 2000s that reginal standards negtiatins cmpleted especially fr BC and Breal frests; Sme imprtant subsequent certificatins Dmtar in Ontari under GL-SL interim standard (2000); Tembec in BC under BC-Reginal Standard (2005); Al- PAC in Alberta (2005) under Breal Standard; Demnstrated feasibility cupled with impressive CC grwth largely explains recent FSC gains; FSC

6 Frest Certificatin in UK 43% f ttal wdland area certified t UKWAS/FSC; represents 85% f all sftwd remvals; FSC cmmenced 1994 when Hannah Scrase appinted Cntact Persn; Wrked with WWF95+ Grup t establish FSC-UK in 1995 Third draft FSC-GB standard cmpleted in 1997; Negtiatins between industry and FSC t establish UKWAS; UKWAS is UK natinal frestry standard: but prcess/cntent cmply with FSC; UKWAS standard released in 1999: industry quickly btains UKWAS certificatin; Massive grwth in certificatin t UKWAS standard in early 2000s; Cmpanies certifying t UKWAS d s under FSC scheme; Tday all wdlands in UK certified t UKWAS/FSC; nly handful dual-certified with PEFC;

7 Why? Lng-standing British cncern ver timber security dating t WWI; Extensive plantatins established, bth public and private; Histry f centralised management via Frestry Cmmissin (FC); Histry f ECSO activism Friends f the Earth, WWF, RSPB, WCL; Dmestic prducers heavily trade expsed, especially Pland & Sweden; Pland certified 1996; Sweden first cuntry t negtiate FSC standard 1997; Plish FSC certified prducts becming available in UK; Industry unable t cmpete withut UK scheme; UKWAS unique cmprmise between FSC and FC; UK Imprt Dependence

8 Frest Certificatin in Indnesia First ever third-party certificatin by Rainfrest Alliance f Perum Perhutani teak plantatin (1990); Lembaga Eklabel Indnesia (LEI) cmmenced 1993; Onging effrts at mutual recgnitin f LEI and FSC since 2006; New FSC-LEI memrandum signed late 2010; As f 2010, SmartWd certified 4 cncessins under FSC generic standard; As f 2010, LEI certified 6 cncessins; Perum Perhutani decertified in 2001; sme peratins recertified after 2009; Less than 2% f Indnesia s frests currently certified; Trpical defrestatin

9 Why? Gvernment cmmitment t frestled and agriculture-led develpment; 1980s and 1990s: build up plywd industry t dminate Japanese market; 2000s: build up palm il industry fr internatinal markets; Cuntry Scre Rank New Zealand Land rights generally and indigenus peples land rights specifically cntentius; Sprawling jurisdictin with diverse centres f pwer; Australia United States Malaysia China Indnesia Yemen Transparency Internatinal, Crruptin Perceptin Index, 2011 Extensive crruptin that includes military; Exprts t Japan and China--until recently, less ec-sensitive markets; Inadequate aid t prmte SFM;

10 Frest Certificatin in Australia 1996 Brisbane Cnference generated public awareness; 1999 MCFFA Stakehlder Wrkshp saw industry priritise certificatin; Industry establishes Australian Frestry Certificatin Cuncil 2001; Australian FSC Cntact Persn appinted same year; Interim Australian Frestry Standard apprved in 2003; full apprval 2007; Many native frest cmpanies (e.g. Gunns) immediately certify t AFS; HVP certified t SmartWd s interim FSC standard in 2004; Many plantatin cmpanies certify t FSC; GFC/pst-GFC: Japanese purchasers increasing preference fr FSC chain-fcustdy certificatin; Current Figures, 2012: FSC=0.9 millin ha; AFS=10.1 millin ha;

11 Why? Australia late entrant int frest certificatin; ECSOs cncerned certificatin culd justify native frest lgging; Industry uninterested as Japanese custmers nt demanding it; Asian currency crisis shifted markets; Als, Japanese purchasers cme under increasing ECSO pressure; Als, certificatin taking ff in Eurpe & Nrth America; Clsed frest plicy netwrk (gvernment, industry, unins) develp AFS; After 2001, ECSOs finally supprt FSC; AFS champined by state gvernments; FSC champined by private sectr plantatins peratrs; Cmpany Area CB Frestry Tasmania Frestry Plantatins Queensland 1,441,420 NCS Int l 335,732 NCS Int l FrestrySA 138,400 NCS Int l Frestry NSW 2,555,681 NCS Int l VicFrests 106,400 SAI Glbal DERM Frest Prducts Frest Prducts Cmmissin (WA) 3,256, 182 NCS Int l 1,225,434 NCS Int l HVP 242,725 NCS Int l Elders Frestry Ltd 269,428 SAI Glbal Gunns Ltd 331,433 DNV Large AFS certified peratins 2012; Large FSC certified peratins in bld;

12 Cmparative Lessns Learned Cuntry UK Canada Indnesia Australia Trade expsure Swedish imprts Exprt t US Exprts t Asia Exprts t Asia FPN structure Opened up t FSC Clsed but pening up t FSC Firmly clsed Clsed in many states ECSO unity United frnt United frnt Disunited Disunited Frest types Psitin at utset f frest certificatin in 1993 Lw bidiversity Mderate bidiversity High bidiversity Mderate Bidiversity Australian industry quite vulnerable especially t Asian markets during recessins; Australian frest plicy netwrk quite clsed: wuld need t pen up t ther interests; Australian ECSOs divided: wuld need t embrace FSC, including fr native frests; Australia s native frests mderately bidiverse need t shift t ecsystem-based management apprach; Frest certificatin wars fught in Australia, Canada, Indnesia & UK; Wars take slightly different frms; In UK, peace achieved thrugh UKWAS cmprmise; In Canada, FSC lst early battles but nw gaining grund; In Indnesia, parties remain deadlcked; Culd Australia btain an UKWASstyle peace t gain majr cmpetitive advantage? Fcus n factrs affecting evlutin f certificatin; These are (i) Trade expsure f frest industry; (ii) Frest plicy netwrk; (iii) ECSO unity; (iv) Bidiversity f frests; Issue f path-dependency;