22
Oct 2008 - US trade in products containing
illegally logged wood, which costs developing
countries an estimated $15 billion a year
in lost revenue, may soon be a thing of
the past.
Prohibition on trade
in illegally logged wood products was passed
in May this year, and now US government
officials have presented proposals which
outline how the new law is to be implemented.
They focused on a phased-in
approach for the requirement to declare
the origin and species of the plant material
contained in a wide variety of products.
Representatives from
the Department of Agriculture, the Department
of Homeland Security, the Department of
Interior and the Department of Justice were
involved.
“By banning the import
of illegally harvested wood products, this
measure will help level the playing field
for companies, such as those participants
of WWF’s Global Forest & Trade Network,
that are committed to ensuring that their
purchases of forest products support legal
and responsible logging practices,” said
Bruce Cabarle, Director of WWF-US Forest
Programme.
The Agencies announced
that the enforcement of the declaration
requirement will begin on April 1st, 2009
for plants, timber and solid wood products,
to coincide with the availability of a web-based
declaration system.
Other products of concern,
such as furniture and paper, will be phased
in subsequently over a two-year time frame.
At the meeting, the
Department of Justice emphasized its intention
to enforce these prohibitions, suggesting
that it was no longer acceptable for wood
purchasers to remain ignorant of the source
of their material.
"We are very encouraged
that importers, retailers and manufacturers
have joined us in supporting practical steps
to stop the importation of stolen wood,"
said Alexander von Bismarck, Executive Director
of the Environmental Investigation Agency
(EIA).
“This commitment by
the U.S. government represents a historic
breakthrough for international efforts to
control deforestation and protect the global
environment.”
Illegally logged wood
also contributes to the 20 per cent of annual
total greenhouse gas emissions caused by
deforestation and has been shown to support
organized crime around the world.
