Forest Governance

What is FLEGT?

Illegal logging has a devastating effect on communities and biodiversity. It causes vast carbon emissions and can keep poor countries in a dangerous and damaging cycle of poverty and corruption. Despite this, illegal timber and wood-based products are unwittingly bought by consumers and companies, undermining efforts to deal with the issue by making illegal logging financially viable. Illegal logging is however also often an integral part of the economy, providing support for political parties and local communities. The challenge is therefore to tackle the root causes of illegality, which include corruption, lack of clarity about land rights and the excessive influence of the timber industry over forestry policies and legislation.

Legal forest use, when based on laws that are environmentally sound and socially just, can ensure environmental protection whilst providing livelihoods to some of the world’s poorest peoples. The EU Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) Action Plan, and especially the Voluntary Partnership Agreements (VPA) between wood producing countries and the EU, aim to ensure that wood being sold in the EU can be shown to be legal.

VPAs are based on the national laws of each producing country, and to date all VPAs are endorsed by the government, civil society and companies. The law that needs to be enforced is agreed after an in-depth assessment of its relevance, and reforms to address weaknesses are made when they are deemed necessary. They ensure that wood can be traced from tree to the point of export. The result is that people in forest rich (but often poor) countries won’t have their precious resources stolen, and consumers can be more sure that they are not harming people and forests with their purchases.

Watch the Story of FLEGT

What is a Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA)?

Illegal logging undermines responsible forest management, encourages corruption and reduces income of the producer country; it has serious economic and social implications for the poor and disadvantaged. One of the key elements of the EU’s Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) Action Plan to tackle illegal logging are Voluntary Partnership Agreements (VPAs). These agreements between wood producing countries and the EU aim to ensure that wood being exported to the EU is legal and that forest governance in the exporting country is improved. VPAs work by tackling the root causes of illegality, which include corruption and lack of clarity about land rights.

Every VPA has been based on the national laws of the timber producing country and has been negotiated in a fully participatory process, with social and environmental NGOs, community representatives, the timber industry and the government around the table. To date, all three signed VPAs have been endorsed by the government, civil society organisations and timber companies.

It is hoped that, once implemented, VPAs will contribute to improved forest governance and recognition of tenure rights of forest communities; help regulate the trade in illegal timber and reduce corruption.

In order to be successful, VPAs must:

• Be developed by consensus with the full and informed consent of all stakeholders and rightsholders
• Tackle corruption
• Recognise communities’ tenure rights over land, territories and resources
• Set up enforcement mechanisms

Watch the film introducing FLEGT

How can the EU stop imports of agricultural commodities that cause deforestation?

The EU has already regulated supply chains in other sectors such as illegal timber, conflict minerals and illegal fishing. To reduce its forest footprint, the EU must regulate European trade and consumption of so called "forest-risk commodities" such as soy, palm oil, beef, leather and cocoa.

Fern therfeore campaigns for an EU Action Plan to Protect Forests and Respect Rights. As part of this work we research the supply chains that connect EU consumers to deforestation. We also work with NGOs and companies to see how the EU regulates other supply chains.

Learn more about the campaign to stop agricultural deforestation