Forest Watch

	EU Forest Watch FERN's newsletter: Click HERE to subscribe
July 2005	July/August issue of EU Forest Watch • CDM projects not looking good • Rural development boosts forests • Incorporating indigenous issues? • Dumped dam back to wreak havoc? • NGOs battle for Ghana's forests OPEN Join the EU Forest Watch mailing list		Articles Briefings EU documents EU Forest Watch Platform News NGO statements Press releases Reports Annual reports Archive Publications by subject
May/June 2005	Issue 96 • UNFF pulls of yet another resounding failure • EC to play key role in Aceh reconstruction • MTCC under attack • Gold threat to Romania • FERN fights bogus carbon claims OPEN
April 2005	Issue 95 • DG Trade talks with NGOs from the South • Environmental degradation blocks the road to development goals • Commission must pull its weight • Plantations in Brazil present threat to indigenous peoples OPEN
March 2005	Issue 94 • Congo Basin treaty ignores civil concerns • EU Action Plan on forest management • Life+ : a new hope for nature? • Illegal logging in Georgia • EU wins Cotonou agreement Plus: FERN Briefing Note/EU Forests: Forests of Poland (PDF 172KB). OPEN
February 2005	Issue 93 • First carbon sinks projects attempting CDM registration blocked • Commission says development policy lacks credibility • Malaysian activists say MTCC is corrupt • DG Trade supports ECA campaign on safeguards for large dams • Indigenous protests on Sakhalin Island Plus: FERN Briefing Note/EU Forests: Hungary - forest degradation with State assistance (PDF 205KB) OPEN
January 2005	Issue 92 • Forestry Strategy consultation completed • Corner House forces U-turn on ECGD • Ten years of FERN • Evaluation a mixed bag for forests • Legislation to outlaw illegal timber? • EU Guide to NGO funding OPEN
December 2004	Issue 91 • Principles for partnerships on illegal timber • ECGD faces legal challenge over bribery rules • Development Aid • Banca Intesa pulls out of pipeline • To bind or not to bind - legally OPEN
November 2004	Issue 90 • Funding changes raise fears over EC Aid • UK certification assessment • ECAs back suspect mill • Species and habitats to lose LIFE • Land reform oversight • Trade limits OPEN
October 2004	Issue 89 • Commission's 'Green' Handbook causes confusion • Incoherent policy on hydro power • 'Linking Directive' approved • FSC Review • Future of the EU Forestry Strategy • Ecolabel fiasco • Illegal logging OPEN
September 2004	Issue 88 • Current Regulation poses serious threat • EU Forestry Strategy • Changes at the EU • WB/WWF Alliance • HEADS UP: key issues and events for your campaign agenda OPEN
August 2004	Issue 87 • EU plan on illegal logging may do more harm than good • UNFF guidelines available • World Bank decides on EIR • Member states miss deadline to transpose OPEN
July 2004	Issue 86 • Dutch TTF backs NGOs on illegal timber • CDM projects: Plantar still in the spotlight • EU Forest Strategy: latest developments • EIR story nearing its end • Germany sued OPEN
June 2004	Issue 85 • EU Forestry Strategy: Commission urged to consult public • How to license legal timber? • "Sick and tired" of UNFF • WTO and forests • Protest against EIB • Climate matters this summer • Call for action on biodiversity loss Plus: Special Report on UNFF: UNFF failing its mandate - 4th Session of the United Nations Forum on Forests OPEN
April/May 2004	Issue 84 • Draft Forest Code threatens Russia's forests • EU Accession: More protection or just more pulp? • New Publications • Monitoring the European Investment Bank • MEPs fail to tighten weak EU climate deal • EP supports EIR recommendations OPEN
March 2004	Issue 83 • Forest certification no panacea • DRC: forest peoples set to lose rights • Commission's SIA study could fall flat • Further steps in the revision of the EU Forestry Strategy • NGOs call for EIR recommendations OPEN
February 2004	Issue 82 • ITRE issues resolution on illegal logging • EU procurement directive adopted • EP draft says no to sinks • The Mumbai Forest Initiative • FSC audits Brazilian plantation project Plus: Briefing on Forest Convention: Can a legally binding agreement for forests make a difference? OPEN	HTML
January 2004	Issue 81 • EU s buying rules put pressure on member states • CDM rules allow subsidies for mega-plantations • Poland uncomfortable in forest chair • EIB postpones decision on Lao mine OPEN	HTML
December 2003	Issue 80 • CDM: a new subsidy for the green desert? • Destructive Laos project seeks friend in EIB • Poverty reduction and environment back in ALA regulation • Parliament lacks resolve on illegal logging • Confusion in EC climate and development work OPEN	HTML
November 2003	Issue 79 • EIB challenged over pulp mill loan • Illegal logging: Council conclusions set stage for legislation • "Integrate environment!" says ACP-EU body • Biodiversity Action Plan pooly implemented • No surprises at AFLEG OPEN	HTML
October 2003	Issue 78 • People prioritised in parks plan • EU challenges BTC over human rights • World Forestry Congress: Big, but not great • Vote delayed for furniture ecolabel • More evidence of poor practice by Export Credit Agencies • EP backs indigenous rights OPEN	HTML
September 2003	Issue 77 • EC blind spot on natural resources and poverty • Climate directive excludes sink projects • Illegal logging finalé • Indigenous peoples slashed from aid budget • ECA rejects Camisea OPEN	HTML
July/ August 2003	Issue 76 • NGOs set ECA reform agenda as OECD nears • Forest certification stalled in Cancun • Land rights policy • UNFF3: Another failure • PCF investors steered away from plantations • Minister s offensive comments expose flaws of Malaysian certification scheme • Forest industry smells green gold in CEE OPEN	446k
June 2003	Issue 75 • Out now! Illegal logging action plan • ECAs debated in EU • Divisions over aid for Asia and Latin America • Commission secretive on CSP guidelines OPEN Plus: Special Report: Multinational enterprises - masters of the legal universe (PDF, 30k)	80k
May 2003	Issue 74 • EU companies caught illegal logging • UNFF warned to address failings • Swedish ECA supported forest destruction in Indonesia • Constitution threat to integrity of EC aid • Cambodian monitoring crisis raises stakes for EU illegal logging plan • OECD negotiates on ECAs OPEN	81k
April 2003	Issue 73 • Carbon sinks debated but big question remain • Reorganisation at DG Environment • EU at crossroads on CDM carbon sinks • First step to link aid and climate change policies • Ecolabel on furniture OPEN Plus: Special Report: The European Convention and the environment (PDF, 20k)	86k
March 2003	Issue 72 • ALA Reform: flexibility but no accountability • African NGOs reject Congo Basin Initiative • EU trade impacts on ACP regions: forests identified a key indicator of sustainability • Illegal logging transfers to DG Development OPEN	81k
February 2003	Issue 71 • Aarhus Convention: First EU directives • 5-step guide to the EU's implementation of Aarhus • Ecolabel criteria • Community land rights: Scottish reforms • Flexibility is key to FSC success in Indonesia OPEN	84k
January 2003	Issue 70 • Illegal logging needs EU legislation • Cambodia: Global Witness denies expulsion • Warm words for indigenous peoples • FSC faces accusations from rainforest group • Conflict timber in DRC • New publications 2002 OPEN	84k
December 2002	Issue 69 • EC aid misses link between forests and poverty • Dirty projects must stop, saya ECA coalition • Estonian illegal timber laundered in the EU • No sign of sustainable development in draft Convention • Poland: Bialowieza OPEN	100k
November 2002	Issue 68 • Illegal logging: regulation plea • World Bank to log primary rainforests • Brazil seizes illegal mahogany shipment • Norwegian doubts grow as climate talks stall • Australian NGOs reject AFS certification • DRC: Timber profits fuelling war OPEN	95k
October 2002	Issue 67 • Reforms to forest budget line • Climate COP8 ahead • Mahogany: can CITES halt illegal trade? • Money moves as aid morphs into trade • Suriname: IACHR halts logging OPEN	97k
September 2002	Issue 66 • Step backwards for ALA Regulation • Carbon sinks watchdog • Baku-Ceyhan pipeline: companies exempt from laws • Test case for CDM carbon sinks • Jo'burg text acknowledges indigenous peoples OPEN	96k
July 2002	Issue 65 • EU and Indigenous Peoples: Direct Dialogue • EU summit axes Development Council • Africa attempts to tackle illegal logging • Sinks projects in pipeline without rules • News wires from Indonesia and Malaysia OPEN	165k
June 2002	Issue 64 • Public procurement directive: step forwards or backwards? • ITTO back in the spotlight • No progress with EU ECAs • SBSTTA to decide sink rules • EU and Japan ratify Kyoto Protocol OPEN Plus: Special Report: World Bank's policy puts forests at risk (PDF 40k)	222k
May 2002	Issue 63 • EU Commission serious in addressing illegal timber trade • Ministers call upon the WSSD to halt biodiversity loss • Has the CBD been implemented? • More land rights cases won • Mutual recognition and the ITTO OPEN Plus: Special Report: Outcome of COP6 of the CBD, PDF, 32k	160k
April 2002	Issue 62 • New report shows way forward for forests in CBD • High stakes for forests after UNFF • Forest definitions: a chance to get real • How to assess forest certification schemes • Villagers take timber company to court • ECAs: Commission and Council take two more steps on path to progress OPEN Plus: Special Report on UNFF2, PDF, 52k	96k
March 2002	Issue 61 • UNFF reputation on the line in NY • EU Ecolabel! Great for hiding the truth! • Axe for DG • Sustainable development or business as usual • Illegal logging • Reform ECAs! OPEN	144k
February 2002	Issue 60 • Incoherence reigns at intergovernmental level • EU Ecolabel: improved but missing the point • 6EAP: forest amendments • Chance for green procurement • NGOs go financial OPEN	76k
January 2002	Issue 59 • Forest protection moves • EU money for Asian forest communities • Development co-operation in chaos OPEN	24k
December 2001	Issue 58 • Hopeful future for CBD forest work • Commission slow to act on illegal logging • Marrakech makes more mayhem • New trade round is no better than last one OPEN	24k
November 2001	Issue 57 • EU hopes for investment deal in Doha • New procurement rules may scare government buyers off green products • Draft ecolabel criteria contradict EU policy • Fern to help monitor CBD implementation • EuropeAid's first year OPEN Plus: Special Report on Doing a deal in Doha, PDF, 16k	80k
October 2001	Issue 56 • Commission workshop on forest certification raises questions • Action on forests: testing moment for CBD • Rumours of trade round in Doha • Cameroon strategy OPEN Plus: Special Report on Climate change and forests , PDF, 16k	76k
September 2001	Issue 55 • Forests need human rights • New league table of illegal timber imports • Country strategy papers review • Mediterranean forests lost to olive oil • Bonn climate deal may worsen forest crisis OPEN Plus: Special Report on Illegal logging statistics , PDF, 16k	80k
July 2001	Issue 54 • Bonn climate talks in disarray • NGOs call for EU-ban on illegal timber imports • Jury still out on UNFF • Revamped GSP needs clear forest standards OPEN	76k
May 2001	Issue 53 • New report finds major flaws in PEFC claims • Greenwash for carbon sinks • New rules for ECAs • Sold down the river • Green claims OPEN	80k
April 2001	Issue 52 • After Washington EU must step up climate plans • Ombudsman sees through Commission • Campaign: Export Credit Agencies • Forests misunderstood • Calls for action grow as first BAPs produced OPEN	80k
March 2001	Issue 51 • Export Credit Agencies • Is Lamy faking it? • Update: Hope for UNFF work plan • Mutual recognition no closer • EU makes good start in run-up to Rio+10 OPEN	80k
February 2001	Issue 50 • Concerns on mutual recognition • Sixth EAP plan positions forests low on the agenda • Action on indigenous peoples long overdue • Convention discrepencies OPEN	80k
January 2001	Issue 49 • New Year brings reform to DGs • Mutual scepticism • Swan lowers certification standards • Swedish presidency takes on environment agenda OPEN	16k
December 2000	Issue 48 • Tension ahead over UNFF • Climate talks fail in The Hague & Ottawa • Human rights appeal • Ecolabel on tissue paper • No patents on life • Guidelines for Export Credit Agencies • Indigenous peoples' revolution • EC Development policy OPEN	40k
November 2000	Issue 47 • NAFTA blamed for forest loss in Mexico • Human rights abuses in Mexican anti-logging campaign • The European Investment Bank: what is it hiding • Development policy ignores all that was asked for OPEN Plus: Special Report on Climate change , PDF, 24k	20k
September 2000	Issue 46 • EU must hold line on carbon sinks • Last chance for forest biodiversity as action plan nears completion • Dutch label to get green light • G8 tackle illegal logging OPEN	HTML
July 2000	Issue 45 • Europe's forests largely ignored • NTMs spreading fast says APEC • Certification harmonisation • EC funding guide • Civilised discussions on trade and environment • Certification and WTO OPEN	HTML
June 2000	Issue 44 • Amerindians ask the EU to respect its own policy • Carbon sinks emerge as hot potato • Major u-turn on UNFF talks • Progress at the CBD OPEN	HTML
May 2000	Issue 43 • Commission calls for aid shake up • Sami people tired of waiting for Swedish support • Development policy • Shared concerns of US and EU NGOs OPEN	HTML
April 2000	Issue 42 • Trading carbon: a new value for forests • New fears for forests from agricultural sector • CSD: update on 8th session - the CSD and trade • Certification rivalry OPEN Plus: Special Report on IFF4 HTML	HTML
February 2000	Issue 41 • Incoherence and community development policy • A precautionary tale • To be prefectly clear • PEFC endorsement? • Conciliation for forests? OPEN	HTML
January 2000	Issue 40 • What will be the follow-up to IFF? • Forest budget line nearly adopted • Carbon fund created • WWF scores countries • Action on biodiversity OPEN	HTML