(http://www.panda.org/about_wwf
responsible_forestry/news
31 May 2007
WWF has recently been the target of an action alert by Ecological
Internet, an environmental internet news portal. The action alert
criticized WWF for the following: supporting sustainable forest
management in ancient forests, supporting "questionable" forest
certifications, greenwashing forest companies, and receiving funding
from forest companies.
The following Q&A answers these criticisms and provides links to WWF's
website for more information:
Why does WWF support sustainable management in natural forests?
WWF believes that forests outside formally protected areas are
necessary for the maintenance of biodiversity and ecosystems, both on
individual sites and within the wider landscape. Well-managed
commercial forests for example can provide vital buffers for and links
between protected areas. In many countries demand for land is so great
that total protection will only ever be applied to a small fraction of
forests, and therefore the maintenance of biodiversity will require
well-managed multi-purpose forests.
Over the past 10 years, the world has lost 100 million hectares of
natural forest to agriculture and other land uses. In many social and
economic contexts, the choice for forest use boils down to clearing
forests for agriculture or creating economic value through some
commercial use of the forest. In those circumstances, WWF believes
sustainable forest management is an important strategy to maintain
forest biodiversity. The gravest threat to biodiversity comes when
forests are over logged and lose their economic value. At that point,
deforestation and conversion to other land uses follows. Sustainable
forest management is insurance against this eventuality.
Certification is the yardstick for measuring if a forest is well
managed. WWF believes that the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is the
most credible global certification system.
Read WWF's Position Paper on Forest Management Outside of Protected
Areas (pdf, 26Kb)
Why does WWF support FSC?
WWF believes certification under the FSC system is the most credible
means of ensuring that forest management is environmentally
responsible, socially equitable and economically viable. The FSC is a
non-profit membership organization open to all interested stakeholders
at global, regional, national, and local levels. All decision making in
the FSC and its national and regional initiatives is based on a
comprehensive consensus between environmental, social and economic
interests.
FSC was the first certification system to introduce the concept of high
conservation values. It remains the only certification that requires a
thorough evaluation of these values and provision for their maintenance
with the management plan of the certified forest.
Read WWF's Position Paper on Certification (pdf, 39Kb)
Why does WWF defend certification, including certifications that are
questioned?
WWF supports the FSC system and the procedures within it that make it
possible to question any given certificate. The checks and balances in
the FSC system are designed to ensure transparency in decision-making,
that all key stakeholders have an opportunity to be heard, and that
avenues are available for raising grievances. Indeed, any organization
or individual, including those participating in this action alert, is
invited to criticize the FSC as part of the organization's commitment
to transparency, accountability and improvement.
WWF acknowledges that the FSC can be slow to respond to challenges and
that assessors can make mistakes. It is also the case that certificates
may need to be withdrawn when mistakes are exposed or a certified
company fails to perform to the standard required.
Barama is a case in point. Barama's FSC certificate was suspended when
it failed to comply with the conditions for its certification. The
certifier has identified the corrective actions that need to be taken
for the company to meet FSC standards. If the company can respond, it
will get its certificate back and the forests will be better managed
than they would in the absence of certification.
In the cases mentioned in the action alert, the FSC certification
process has driven documented improvements in forest management at the
concession level. If there are factual disputes about these cases, the
FSC system provides a forum where these issues can be raised. The
strength of the FSC system is that it handles complaints and corrects
mistakes. FSC is the only global certification system that currently
offers balanced stakeholder participation.
WWF is actively participating in the development of FSC to ensure that
it is better equipped to handle and monitor the hugely increased number
of certificates and other new challenges brought on by its rapid
growth.
See WWF's Statement on Barama Company Ltd's FSC Certification in Guyana
Does WWF greenwash forest companies?
No. WWF believes that to conserve the environment and the life it
supports WWF must work in willing and honest partnerships with NGOs,
governments, business, local populations and society as a whole.
Although corporations are often part of the problem, they are also part
of the solution. WWF will work with companies that demonstrate a real
commitment to the principles of sustainability and are prepared to
adopt challenging targets for change.
The Global Forest & Trade Network (GFTN) is WWF's initiative to
eliminate illegal logging and improve the management of valuable and
threatened forests. It works toward its mission by promoting
responsible forest management and trade with companies all along the
timber supply chain.
The GFTN has strict membership requirements. For forest companies, this
includes a commitment to becoming credibly certified within 5 years.
Companies that join an FTN must pass a rigorous application process
that includes a baseline appraisal, the development of an action plan,
and regular monitoring. The GFTN provides a reliable, transparent
framework within which producers can demonstrate that they make
serious, tangible and time-bound progress towards independent credible
certification.
More details on the GFTN: www.panda.org/gftn
More information on how WWF works with companies
Does GFTN accept money from companies?
Yes. GFTN is funded from a variety of sources - 52% from government aid
agencies, 22% from WWF supporters and 26% from WWF corporate partners.
In cases where individual FTNs charge membership fees, these fees are
applied to the administration costs of the FTN.
WWF and GFTN firmly reject the allegation that companies who pay fees
to participate within the GFTN are being "greenwashed." Participating
companies make a series of commitments and are held accountable in
order to remain as participants.
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