Update on New Int'l Alliance That Helps Firms Avoid Illegal Wood Trade
The World Resources Institute (WRI), Enironmental Investigation Agency (EIA-US) and the US Agency for International Development (USAID) have created a global initiative, the Forest Legality Alliance, to help private corporations reduce their trade in illegal wood. The alliance's formation comes after the U.S. amended the Lacey Act in 2008 to ban the trade of illegal wood products in the US.
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"Some companies are not aware of the need to ask questions about the wood they are buying or the consequences of letting illegal wood enter their supply chains," explains Craig Hanson, director of WRI’s People and Ecosystems Program, in a press release. "The Alliance seeks to build confidence that imported wood and paper products are legal."
Alliance to Work with Importers and Supply Chains
The Alliance will distribute information to businesses to help them avoid purchasing illegal wood. It will work with importers and supply chains to help them understand the new and emerging laws related to wood products.
Developing Online Resources to Help Firms Conduct "Due Care"
In addition, the international group is working to develop online resources to help companies conduct 'due care' under the law—which means the "degree of care which a reasonably prudent person would exercise under the same or similar circumstances"—and fill-out import declarations.
Other Alliance partners include the American Forest & Paper Association, the Hardwood Federation, IKEA, the International Wood Products Association, NewPage Corporation, the Retail Industry Leaders’ Association, Staples Inc, and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development.
EU Near Approval of a "Due Diligence" Regulation to Curb Illegally Sourced Wood
The European Union and other countries appear to be quickly following the U.S. in working to stem the pervasive illegal trade in wood. Currently the EU is near approving a 'due diligence' regulation that would curb illegally sourced wood, while Australia is also mulling legislation to ban illegal wood.
"From musical instruments to textbooks, legislation in the U.S. and abroad is fundamentally changing how wood and everything that is made from wood is traded and produced," said Sascha von Bismarck, executive director of EIA. "Suppliers unaware of these emerging policies could face financial repercussions in addition to reputational risk."
(See ITT's Online Archives or 06/09/10 news, 10060842, for earlier BP summary. See ITT's Online Archives or 05/28/10 news, 10052827, for BP summary confirming metric units for electronic and paper Lacey Act declarations. See ITT's Online Archives or 04/28/10 news, 10042843, for BP summary stating that APHIS sent its proposed rule to define "common cultivars" and "common food crops.")