Throughout the tropics, illegal logging and unregulated land clearance are decimating tropical forests. Weak governance and law enforcement in many countries contribute to a climate susceptible to illegal logging.
The international timber trade, especially the global demand for tropical timbers, has been part of the problem but it is also part of the solution. By increasing consumer demand for verified legal or sustainable tropical wood and wood products, the international timber trade has the potential to transform the forest products sector and governance structures in forest-producing countries. However, consumers must be willing to pay more for certified wood products and companies must be willing to support initiatives that encourage sustainable forest management in order to increase the availability of supply.
Given China’s recent emergence as a major export hub for wood products, consumers must demand that Chinese producers take responsibility for eliminating illegal and unknown-origin wood from their supply chains. A recent analysis conducted by Tropical Forest Trust concludes that a pairing of market incentives with technical assistance holds the key to eliminating illegally harvested wood from Chinese supply chains.
From being a net importer of many wood products in the 1990s, China is now a leading exporter of furniture, plywood and flooring and is rapidly moving up the ranks in exports of doors, windows and mouldings. China’s domestic wood consumption also increases significantly each year as the economy continues to develop.
Despite having the world’s largest plantation acreage, China imports vast quantities of wood to keep up with high levels of production. Russia is by far the largest supplier of logs and sawn wood to China, providing temperate softwood species mainly for the domestic housing market. For tropical wood, south-east Asia is the dominant supplier with 70% of the region’s hardwood exports heading for China. South America and central Africa also export significant quantities to China.
The nature of China’s wood distribution system is complex where individual farmers, small traders and small manufactures are all prominent players, and domestic and imported wood passes through numerous hands. Yet the number of private enterprises continues to increase, giving rise to intense competition, overproduction and excess capacity.