ATIBT: International forum launches initiative on how tropical wood can meet construction and design in an environmentally friendly way

 

ATIBT-Nogent-sur-Marne (France) / 10 November 2014 - Consumer trust is key to making tropical wood’s true colours shine. Because consumers have a vital role to play in forest protection, through the choices they make, affirmed 150 participants in the international forum on “Strengthening Trust in Tropical Wood” held from 5 to 7 November 2014 in Amsterdam (the Netherlands).
 
For the occasion, the historical setting of the Koepelkerk Zaal, a former 17th century church and now a UNESCO site that hosted the Forum, exhibited tropical plants and tropical wood products to express a key concept. The beauty and durability that consumers admire in the various species of tropical wood come from a common source: tropical forests.
 
Held under the aegis of the European Coalition on Sustainable Tropical Timber (STTC) and organized by Association Technique Internationale des Bois Tropicaux (ATIBT), a brainchild of the United Nations founded 63 years ago, the Forum brought together private sector representatives with NGOs such as Greenpeace, the WRI (World Resources Institute), WWF (World Wildlife Fund) and WCS (Wildlife Conservation Society).
 
The programme was rich, spanning from tropical timber market needs to progress in achieving forest sector legality.

Representatives from the Netherlands and Germany showed how public procurement can make it possible to marry profit with sustainability.
 

 
 
The Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation underlined the importance of developing a sustainable forest industry, one capable of preserving tropical forests at the same time as giving them an economic value.
 
“We’ve seen enough evidence that responsible forest management is actually one of the best ways of conserving tropical forests,” said Ted van der Put, Director of the Dutch Sustainable Initiative (IDH), who went on to say: “The fear to touch tropical forests is unfortunately our enemy as it contributes to the destruction of the forest: we need demand for sustainable forest products in order to protect it!”
 
As a tangible step in this direction, Double Helix and ATIBT launched a joint initiative. In a nutshell, it’s about “using cutting-edge forest genetics to determine legality of African timber to help gain access to premium European and American markets,” as ATIBT Director General Ralph Ridder put it. ATIBT and Double Helix are looking to attract donor attention to a genetic reference database, as this would empower consumers to test whether the wood they are buying is legal using nature’s own barcode.
 
 

On the fringe of the Forum, several industry visits made it possible for Dutch firms to open their doors to a number of interested participants.
 
As architect Machiel Spaan put it, “We must get in touch and in tune with tropical wood. And innovate, starting from the idea of sustainability and the landscape we can shape thanks to it.” One where the forest can grow following its rhythm and natural pace because it is managed in a responsible way. And where forest inhabitants can grow in quality of life while their children's education produces development.

###
Media Contact: Tullia Baldassarri Hoeger von Hoegersthal
Phone: +39 328 757 3475
Tullia.Baldassarri@atibt.org
Site web du Forum: http://www.atibt.org/amsterdam-2014-en/
Programme de Forum: http://www.atibt.org/amsterdam-2014-programme/
Newsletters du Forum: http://www.atibt.org/amsterdam-2014-press/

Go back

CBFP News

WWF: Rainforest deforestation more than doubled under cover of coronavirus -DW

Tropical rainforests shrank by 6,500 square kilometers in March — an area seven times the size of Berlin. Criminal groups are taking advantage of the pandemic and the unemployed are getting desperate, the WWF said.

Read more …

Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park Monthly update April 2020

"At a time when many countries are beginning their gradual deconfinement and when there is a glimmer of hope on the horizon of returning to normal life, I wanted to share with you some good news that also fills us with hope for the future of the Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park."

Read more …

Resources and follow-up from the virtual FAO-EcoAgriculture Partners Roundtable

Last April 30th FAO and EcoAgriculture Partners organized a virtual Roundtable on Territorial Perspectives for Development, in which over 170 people participated.

Read more …

ATIBT -CBFP: Private Sector mobilized around the CBFP Facilitator of the Federal Republic of Germany

ATIBT co-facilitated the mobilization of the private sector of the timber sector to participate in the first meeting of the private sector college of Congo Basin Forest Partnership with the new facilitator Dr Christian Ruck and his team German Facilitation.

Read more …

Development and institutionalization of a PAFC certification system for the Congo basin: opening of the second public consultation on Sustainable Forest Management Certification Standard, 23 May 2020 - 22 June 2020

This second public consultation will be open for a period of 30 days from tomorrow Saturday the 23rd of May 2020 and will be closed on Monday the 22nd of June 2020. The public consultation is open to all stakeholders of forest management in the Congo Basin interested in participating to the PAFC Congo Basin certification standards development process.

Read more …

Forest defenders on the COVID-19 frontline stand ready to assist the global EU response – Fern

These efforts go hand in hand with ensuring continued responsible management of natural resources and preventing unsustainably and illegally sourced forest commodities. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, forest-monitoring organisations Observatoire de la Gouvernance Forestière (OGF) and Réseau des observateurs indépendants des ressources naturelles (RENOI) are set to carry out COVID awareness-raising in at-risk forest areas, and will also assess COVID’s impact on forest management and governance commitments under the Central African Forest Initiative (CAFI). Across the Congo Basin, fears that a proper lack of oversight may put forests and forest peoples in danger are looming despite emerging initiatives.

Read more …

22 May 2020 International Day for Biological Diversity

The theme of the 2020 International Day for Biological Diversity is “Our Solutions are in Nature”. It shows that "Biodiversity remains the answer to a number of sustainable development challenges that we all face. From nature-based solutions to climate, to food and water security, and sustainable livelihoods, biodiversity remains the basis for a sustainable future."

Read more …

CBFP News Archive

2024

There are no news items for this period.