Mainstreaming Sustainable Tropical Timber : capturing the momentum.

Preliminary program:  

12.00 – 13.00 Arrival and lunch

13.00 – 13.45 Presentation strategic review tropical timber sector

13.45 – 14.15 Presentation EU Sustainable Tropical Timber Coalition

14.15 – 14.30 Break

14.30 – 15.00 Panel discussion with thought leaders

15.00 – 15.30 Panel discussion with frontrunners in the sector

15.30 – 16.15 Interactive break-out sessions

16.15 – 16.45 Wrap up

16.45 – 18.00 Drinks

Tropical forests are disappearing at an alarming rate. Despite 2 decades of voluntary market action, improvements in the tropics are very limited. Whereas certification and licensing systems have been very successful in northern regions, in tropical regions – where good forest management practices are most urgently needed – it is clearly lagging behind. Only 6% of the tropical forest area is certified as sustainably managed. How can we bring the tropical timber market to the next level of sustainability? How can governments, business and civil society groups collaborate to mainstream sustainable forest management in the tropics?

We cordially invite you to a lively stakeholder event on how developments regarding legal timber can lead to tangible improvements in sustainable forest management in the tropics.

During this stakeholder event, The Sustainable Trade Initiative will present the outcomes of a strategic review of the tropical timber sector that answers the above questions. In addition, The Sustainable Trade Initiative together with the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation will launch a new initiative: The EU Sustainable Tropical Timber Coalition. Working with key partners such as ICLEI Local Governments for Sustainability, this international platform is designed to stimulate collaboration between governments, business and civil society groups to mainstream sustainable forest management in the tropics.

This stakeholder event will include an opportunity for Q&A, panel discussions with thought leaders and frontrunners in the sector, as well as interactive sessions with the audience.