Forest governance: how Indonesia and Vietnam are responding to illegal logging

Illegal logging and the associated trade is a major cause of deforestation and forest degradation globally. Indonesian and Vietnamese experts from the government, private and civil society sectors speak to Gitika Bhardwaj about the state of the trade in both southeast Asian countries.

VPAs give communities a confident voice

FLEGT VPAs are not just about delivering legal timber to the EU, but ensuring greater stakeholder participation in timber sector decision-making in supplier countries to the benefit of ordinary people. Mike Jeffree reports on progress in Ghana, Guyana, Honduras, Indonesia, Liberia and Vietnam.

Lessons learned from independent forest monitoring in Africa

The nongovernmental organisation Fern and its partners in four African countries have reported how independent forest monitoring has had positive effects on forest governance. In a new brief, they share stories of impact and lessons they have learned.

Independent forest monitoring evolves, aided by VPAs

FLEGT Voluntary Partnership Agreements are aiding an evolution in the implementation and impacts of independent forest monitoring in West and Central Africa, according to a new brief by the consultancy Palladium International. The report is based on inputs from 19 civil society organisations and individuals, and it covers eight countries in West and Central Africa.

The FAO-EU FLEGT Programme launches a new call for concept notes in VPA countries

The FAO-EU FLEGT Programme is now accepting concept notes from government institutions, civil society, indigenous and tribal peoples, and private sector organizations in countries engaged in Voluntary Partnership Agreements (VPAs) with the European Union. Grants up to USD 110 000 are available through the Programme to support ongoing VPA processes in targeted countries.

FAO boosts support to promote legal timber trade in Lao PDR

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is stepping up support for the legal timber trade in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic with the official launch of two new projects that will strengthen the roles of civil society and the private sector in improving forest law enforcement, governance and trade (FLEGT) in the country.

Republic of the Congo and the EU release 2016 annual report on VPA progress

The Republic of the Congo and the EU have released a joint report on progress in implementing the Voluntary Partnership Agreement in 2016.

EU and Thailand hold first talks on forest governance and legal timber trade deal

Thailand and the European Union (EU) have held their first negotiations towards a Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) to improve forest governance and promote trade in verified legal timber products.

Highlights of EC conference on tackling deforestation and illegal logging

On 21-23 June 2017, the European Commission met with stakeholders from across the world to discuss future work on tackling deforestation and illegal logging. The meeting, in Brussels, attracted more than 250 representatives from timber producer and consumer countries, private sector and civil society, indigenous and local communities, European Union Member States, and international organisations.

What can the EU do to curb corruption in the forest sector?

Corruption. It has blighted countries in every continent for generations, and is identified as a main reason why illegal logging continues at a seemingly unstoppable rate.