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EU Forest Watch February 1999: Issue 31
On 22 February 1999, the Directorate Generals responsible for Development Cooperation (DG VIII and IB) hosted a meeting with development and environment NGOs to exchange ideas on the Commission’s Discussion Paper on Forests and Development. The aim is to draft a Communication on forest development cooperation. The Commission has also drafted new Regulations for Budget Lines B7-6201 (Forests) and B7-6200 (Environment). Both have been sent to the European Parliament and hopefully will be adopted this year. Communication The meeting between NGOs and the Commission was constructive. NGOs welcomed the Commission's will to listen to NGO suggestions for the Discussion Paper. They felt the meeting provided an opportunity to build a dialogue with the Commission based on their respective expertise. The Commission was open to comments and assured NGOs these would be incorporated in the Communication. The new Communication will replace the 1989 Forest Communication. Previous attempts by DG XI and VIII did not resulted in a paper being adopted by the Commission. This Discussion Paper can therefore be seen as progress. NGOs stressed there is a lot of merit in the paper, particularly in its analysis. The emphasis on good governance and the recognition of the importance of cross-sectoral impacts on forests was welcomed. The Paper has also correctly identified the problem of vested interests. However, it needs a clearer focus and actions listed do not always address the problems identified. NGO comments1 expressed at the meeting include: -The paper should acknowledge and implement the recommendations of recent EC aid evaluations (Forest Watch 21, 27, 30) - It emphasises economic values of forests to the detriment of the social and ecological ones. - It should focus on strengthening civil society participation in the policy process. - It aims to implement sustainable forest management however this first requires further research. - It recognises the importance of the private sector, but a distinction should be made between the need to support small and medium sized enterprises (including the informal sector) and to regulate transnational companies. - The terminology is often unclear. New research from e.g. CIFOR, WRI and IUCN should be used instead of FAO data and definitions. The Commission has drafted a new legal basis for the Tropical Forest Budget Line (B7-6201). The previous Regulation finishes at the end of 1999 and will be replaced in 2000. The Regulation has been sent to Parliament. The draft Regulation has expanded its geographic coverage to all forests in developing countries including the Maghreb region. Underlying Causes From 18-22 January an IFF Intersessional on ’The Underlying Causes of Forest Loss’ took place in Costa Rica (Forest Watch 23, 28). Representatives of indigenous peoples, local communities, NGOs, governments and international organisations from 40 countries discussed the issue and looked for possible solutions. A background document, consisting of 7 regional reports, provided the basis for discussion. The regional reports were the outcome of regional processes based on over 45 case studies and 40 background studies.1 The meeting was solution oriented. More than 50 ‘new’ action points were developed. These include:
Results of the Intersessional will be presented at IFF III in Geneva (3-14 May). However many of the action points will already be presented at other relevant meetings leading to IFF III. 1 Available at the WRM website: www.wrm.org.uy
Forest conservation in Cameroon An international conference funded by the EC, was held in Yaounde, Cameroon, on 16-17 February under the auspices of the ministry of Forests, IUCN and CEFDHAC (Conférence sur les Ecosystèmes de Forêts Denses et Humides d’Afrique Centrale). Participants included logging companies, NGOs, researchers and government officials. The conference focused on the interactions between forests and roads, hunting and local communities and forest concessions, and the integration of development and conservation. For the first time a presentation was delivered by a Bagyeli 'Pygmy' leader, Jacques Ngoun. A high proportion of the papers presented, particularly by those working under the EC-funded APFT2 programme, tended to conclude that EC projects had little or no negative impact on the environment or local communities. However, the Cameroonian government emphasised the need for environment impact assessments before road development projects are undertaken. The Commission's Cameroon delegation also issued a ‘Note d’Information’1, denouncing the Rainforest Foundation’s campaign, to highlight the environmental impacts of EC projects in Cameroon. Whilst the Note made serious allegations, it failed to distinguish between the reports made by the Foundation, and subsequent reporting in the media. The event provided a good opportunity for a broad-ranging discussion on key forest-related issues in one of the most sensitive of the EU’s partner countries; NGOs hope it will serve to inform the EC’s future development policy in Cameroon. 1 Available at Fern 2 Avenir des Peuples des Forets Tropicaux Research Programme1 The Fifth Framework programme for research, technological development and demonstration activities was adopted by the Council on 22 December. The new budget is EURO 13 700 million. This is a slight increase compared to the fourth framework which totalled 1.3 billion ECU. DGXII (Research) operates the programme. Three themes cover environment issues.?The first is 'Quality of life and management of living resources'. Its aim is to promote the multipurpose role of forests and the sustainable management of forest resources as an integral factor of rural development, including 'the integrated forestry-wood chain'. The second theme is 'Energy, environment and sustainable development'. The aim is to develop the scientific and technological basis necessary to implement Community policies e.g. EC environment action programmes and the Biodiversity Strategy, and to support the research obligations stemming from international treaties and conventions. The third theme 'Confirming the international role of Community Research' aims to support policy dialogue and joint research activities with third countries. In the Mediterranean, cooperation includes environment, cultural and socio-economic aspects. In developingcountries cooperation covers the development of mechanisms and conditions for the sustainable management of natural resources. 1 Official Journal L26 Vol 41 01.02.99 and Fern briefing sheet September 98 Obituary Fern is sad to inform you that on 11 February 1999, Jos Beerlink, Caroline Dubois and Samuel Ndoumbe Manga died in a tragic car accident in Cameroon. Jos was involved in the WWF-Belgium Project on Forest Certification, Samuel was a professor at Yaounde University and a member of the national certification working group and Caroline work for WWF-Cameroon. We wish their friends and families the strength they need to cope with this tragic loss.
EU Forest Agenda • 5 March: The CAP reform/Agenda 2000, agriculture in the international context and the next WTO round, Brussels, Belgium. • 11-12 March: Environment Council, Brussels, Belgium. • 15-18 March: The Summit of Central African heads of State on Conservation and Sustainable Management of Tropical Forests in cooperation with WWF International Yaounde, Cameroon. • 24 March: European round table with NGOs and Trade Unions on the European Code of Conduct for Companies, Brussels, Belgium • 25 March: DG VI Agricultural Advisory Group on Forests, Brussels, Belgium.
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