Indonesia standardizes ecolabeling procedures<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia is standardizing ecolabeling
\nprocedures and criteria for its timber companies.<\/p>\n
The minister of forestry, Djamaludin Suryohadikusumo, said
\nyesterday the standardization of ecolabeling procedures would be
\ncompleted by April.<\/p>\n
The Ministry of Forestry in cooperation with the Indonesian
\nEcolebelling Agency and the Association of Indonesian Forest
\nConcessionaires were still working on it, he said.<\/p>\n
He said the standardization would mainly deal with the
\ninternationally accepted methods of assessing sustainable forest
\nmanagement.<\/p>\n
"After the national standardization, we will try to establish
\nthe standard for ASEAN countries," he said at a workshop on the
\nreadiness of concessionaires for ecolabeling and the free trade.<\/p>\n
Djamaluddin said Asian and European countries were
\nanticipating Indonesia's proposed ecolabeling standard because
\nwas the only country to authorize an independent non-governmental
\norganization to assess concessionaires.<\/p>\n
ASEAN groups Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand,
\nSingapore, Vietnam, and Brunei.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian Ecolabeling Agency has recently run
\necolabeling trials on tropical wood from 14 forest
\nconcessionaires.<\/p>\n
Djamaludin said the results showed that none were fully
\nprepared for ecolabeling, and only between three and five were
\nalmost ready.<\/p>\n
One of the concessions in the East Kalimantan was found to
\nhave abandoned its obligation to support its nearby village,
\nalthough it managed the forest well, he said.<\/p>\n
The forestry ministry requires concessionaires to develop
\ntheir nearby village.<\/p>\n
The minister said Indonesian timber companies had no choice
\nbut to follow ecolabeling procedures. Otherwise, they would not
\nbe able to export their products when ecolabeling becomes an
\ninternational prerequisite in 2000, he said.<\/p>\n
"Although ecolabels are not compulsory for concessionaires,
\nthey may not be able to have access to the markets in some
\ncountries without the labels," Djamaludin said.<\/p>\n
The minister also urged the government to provide incentives
\nto industrial timber estates because less people were becoming
\ninterested in the industry.<\/p>\n
Timber estates were environmentally friendly because the trees
\nkept growing after harvesting and therefore the estates would
\npass ecolabeling requirements, he said. (02)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/indonesia-standardizes-ecolabeling-procedures-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}