Posted on December, 16 2013
This year, GFTN has seen tremendous successes, new challenges, and a reinvigorated strategic vision. At the heart of our work, we have continued to seek out and share new ways to ensure that responsible forest management and trade practices are understood, valued and embraced, across the globe and across scales, at the largest companies and in the smallest communities.
We invite you, our participants, partners, stakeholders, and donors to reflect on this shared effort—the diversity of work that we do across the globe with communities, companies and forest managers to ensure that we continue to have living forests.
Report Highlights:
North America | Transforming Markets
This year, North America saw some significant inroads made towards ambitious goals by several of its participants. GFTN-NA also expanded its reach to 11 major participants, to include the world’s largest pulp and paper producer, International Paper. Together, these 11 companies trade nearly 180 million m3 of timber and fibre per year, with annual revenues of over US$265 billion.
Latin America and Caribbean | Developing Sustainable Livelihoods
Efforts across the region open up new revenue streams, bring economic growth and stability, and provide a pathway to a more sustainable way of life for local communities. And they are examples of the multiple benefits of effective partnerships with indigenous communities to promote responsible forestry.
Africa | Promoting Credible Certification
GFTN has had a strategic presence in the priority area of Central Africa — which covers Cameroon, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon and Republic of the Congo – for more than 10 years. And such support has borne results — as of this year, an area of 4.4 million hectares has been independently FSC-certified in the Congo Basin.
Europe | Going Beyond Legality
GFTN is assisting companies, in Europe and elsewhere, to go beyond legality and towards responsible forest management and trade, which will provide the much needed impetus towards WWF’s goal of zero net deforestation. GFTN participants in Europe have stepped up their efforts to exercise due diligence, in order to mitigate risk of illegality and to ensure full compliance — going beyond legality to pursue the ultimate goal of credible certification.
Asia Pacific | Advancing Change
It has been estimated that about 38.7 million hectares of natural forest in Asia and the Pacific have been lost due to unsustainable land management since 1990. The consequences have been catastrophic and for years, Asia has been in the midst of an environmental crisis. Today, however, an array of new conservation-focused efforts are gaining traction across the region.
