International Tropical Timber Council concludes with major decisions, including its extension

Subject :Environment

Section: International Conventions

Context:

The 59th International Tropical Timber Council (ITTC), a group that meets at least once a year to discuss a wide-ranging agenda aimed at promoting sustainable tropical forest management and the trade of sustainably produced tropical timber, concluded on November 17, 2023 in Thailand.

Details:

The countries agreed to endorse eight projects related to sustainable forest management and related objectives. The session also approved and adopted a budget of $7.1 million for the coming financial year 2024-25.

International Tropical Timber Organisation (ITTO):

It is an intergovernmental organization promoting the sustainable management and conservation of tropical forests and the expansion and diversification of international trade in tropical timber from sustainably managed and legally harvested forests.
The IITC is the governing body of the ITTO.
ITTO:
- Develops internationally agreed policy guidelines and norms to encourage sustainable forest management (SFM) and sustainable tropical timber industries and trade.
- Assists tropical member countries to adapt such guidelines and norms to local circumstances and to implement them in the field through projects and other activities.
- Collects, analyzes and disseminates data on the production and trade of tropical timber.
- Promotes sustainable tropical timber supply chains.
- Helps develop capacity in tropical forestry.

Collaborative Partnership on Forests (CPF):

Established in April 2001 by the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations (ECOSOC) that also established the International Arrangement on Forests and the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF).
ECOSOC defines the core functions of the CPF as a component of the International Arrangement on Forests.
CPF is an informal, voluntary arrangement among 16 international organizations and secretariats with substantial programmes on forests. These agencies share their experiences and build on them to produce new benefits for their respective constituencies.
Members collaborate to streamline and align their work and to find ways of improving forest management and conservation and the production and trade of forest products. The members are also forming close and valuable strategic partnerships with one another, benefiting from shared expertise and pooled resources.