The Forest Governance project is pleased to announce the publication of the latest assessment in a multi-year research project that has monitored the response to illegal logging and related trade over the past decade.  We are also pleased to launch the project microsite, indicators.chathamhouse.org, which hosts a range of data on the response to illegal logging and related trade in 19 countries.

Tackling Illegal Logging and Related Trade: What Progress and Where Next? says efforts to address illegal logging and reduce the trade in illegal timber have borne fruit and prompted some positive reforms in producer countries. However, changes in the sector mean global trade in illegal timber has not fallen in the last decade. 

"Having seen the progress that can be made, it’s imperative that governments agree to work together to rise to new challenges and promote a more sustainable forest sector for the benefit of all."

China is now the world’s largest importer and consumer of wood-based products, as well as a key processing hub, accounting for half of all trade in illegal wood-based products. India, South Korea, and Vietnam are also growing markets. The rise in demand from developing countries has diluted the influence of more progressive countries, such as the EU and US.

Additionally, more forest is being cleared for agriculture and other land uses. As much as half of all tropical timber traded internationally now comes from forest conversion, of which nearly two-thirds is thought to be illegal.

Finally, logging by small-scale producers has soared in many countries. Such activity is often illegal and remains beyond the scope of many policy and regulatory efforts.

The report makes the following recommendations:  

• The EU and US need to maintain and reinforce current efforts
• Other countries need to take stronger action – China in particular, but also India, Japan and South Korea
• Strong international cooperation is needed to maintain & reinforce current efforts – the G20 could provide a forum to galvanise international action
• Producer countries need to focus on strengthening efforts to tackle corruption, improving legality within the small-scale sector, and reforming land-use governance

Read the full report >

Explore the data >

For more Information, please consult the following Link: Here