Event Conference
Towards a new international regime on forests
05 Jul 2006
10:00–12:00
Venue: International Environment House II (7-9 ch. de Balexert)
Organization: Geneva Environment Network
This roundtable entitled “Towards a new international regime on forests” organized by the Geneva Environment Network discussed the different activities and mandates of the organizations present, as well as illegal logging, the feasibility of a non-legally binding “soft” convention to ensure compliance, taxing illegal forest activities and capacity building.
About this Event
Major new developments have recently taken place in the international negotiations on forests. Last January, an agreement was reached on a new 10-year treaty on the international trade of tropical timber, with modified objectives and broader scope. In February, delegates to the United Nations Forest Forum took the decision to develop new working modalities and to launch negotiations on a non-legally binding instrument on all types of forests.
Against this evolving backdrop, what are the inter-linkages between the different issues and processes? How will the Food and Agricultural Organization, the International Tropical Timber Organization and the United Nations Forum on Forests contribute to achieving the various goals, and what will be the role of each institution? Where do the synergies lie? What should the international community do to ensure the negotiations are coherent and complementary?
You are cordially invited to join us at today’s roundtable to explore these issues in the presence of the secretariats’ senior officials.
Agenda
Welcome by Frits Schlingemann, Director and Regional Representative for Europe, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
Introduction by the moderator, Franz Xaver Perrez, Head, Global Affairs Section, International Affairs Division, Federal Office for the Environment of the Swiss Confederation
Presentations by the panel members:
- Pekka Patosaari, Director, United Nations Forum on Forests, New York
- Amha bin Buang, Assistant Director, International Tropical Timber Organization, Yokohama
- Wulf Killmann, Director, Forest Products and Economics Division, FAO, Rome
Presentations by the discussants:
- Christopher F.L. Prins, Chief, Timber Section, UN Economic Commission for Europe, Geneva
- Jürgen Blaser, Intercooperation, Bern
Discussion with panelists and participants & wrap-up by moderator
Summary
ITTO described its legally binding agreement; UNFF gave an update of the results of their 6th Session and reaching a “soft forest convention” and FAO showed its support for the international forest regime. Participants discussed illegal logging, the feasibility of a non-legally binding “soft” convention to ensure compliance, taxing illegal forest activities and capacity building.