AFP to use timber tracking system<\/p>\n
Rendi A. Witular, The Jakarta Post, Yogyakarta<\/p>\n
Top government officials and environmentalists, grouped in the
\nAsia Forest Partnership (AFP), agreed on Wednesday that timber
\nproducing and consuming countries need to boost cooperation in
\nfighting illegal timber trading.<\/p>\n
At the end of their three-day workshop, the AFP members agreed
\non several recommendations, including the one calling for
\nproducing and consuming nations in Asia to set up a synchronized
\ncustoms system enabling them to track the legality of timber
\nproducts.<\/p>\n
The tracking system is pivotal in the fight against illegal
\ntimber trading, participants said.<\/p>\n
\"At present timber importing countries have difficulties
\ndetermining the legality of forest products. A timber tracking
\nsystem is expected to help them identify and reject illegal
\nforest products,\" Amha Bin Buang, an executive at the
\nInternational Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO), told The
\nJakarta Post after the workshop.<\/p>\n
Buang said that a tracking system would force timber-producing
\ncountries to apply a certification system on their forest
\nproducts.<\/p>\n
The certification system will enable people to identify
\nproducts that are taken from well-managed forests. People are
\nalso expected to buy certified products to support sustainable
\nforest management.<\/p>\n
Indonesian Ministry of Forestry's Director General of Forest
\nProtection and Nature Conservation, Koes Saparjadi, said forest
\ncertification was one of the most contentious issues in the
\nforestry industry as some producers considered it another cost
\nthat would reduce their competitiveness.<\/p>\n
\"Tropical timber producers are concerned about difficulties in
\ngetting certification and the expected increase in production
\ncosts. It needs great effort for timber-producing countries to
\napply the system,\" he said, adding that higher level governmental
\nofficials will discuss further the application of the
\ncertification system.<\/p>\n
Aside from calling for a synchronized customs system, the
\nworkshop also called on key enforcement agencies to implement
\n\"on-the-ground coordination\" at some priority smuggling and
\nillegal logging centers, such as those in the border areas of
\nIndonesia and Malaysia.<\/p>\n
The recommendations agreed upon during the workshop in
\nYogyakarta will be brought up at the fourth AFP meeting in Japan
\nfrom Dec. 8 until Dec. 10.<\/p>\n
The AFP was launched at the World Summit on Sustainable
\nDevelopment in Johannesburg in 2002. It is one of over 200
\npartnerships for sustainable development registered with the
\nUnited Nations Division for Sustainable Development.<\/p>\n
Partners of the AFP include governments, intergovernmental
\norganizations and members of civil society.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/afp-to-use-timber-tracking-system-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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