The Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) held its annual PEFC Forest Certification Week meeting in Bali, Indonesia themed ‘Sustainable Landscapes for Sustainable Livelihoods’, which saw a very positive 21st PEFC General Assembly for members, a series of workshops and two days of Stakeholder Dialogue open to all. The good news for the future of PEFC in Asia was the unanimous adoption of three more countries, including Thailand, bringing the number of National Governing Bodies to 46. The event was co-hosted by the Indonesian Forestry Certification Cooperation (IFCC).
Ben Gunneberg (centre) with Thai delegation after election (Source: Turnstone Singapore) |
Speaking at the PEFC General Assembly, PEFC Secretary General and CEO Ben Gunneberg said “This year saw our members smash through past records for growing PEFC-certified hectares. In Australia alone, more than 16 million hectares of forest became PEFC-certified – an achievement that won the Australian Forestry Standard (AFS) the top prize for growth during our PEFC award ceremony. What is really interesting is their motivation to gain PEFC certification – to demonstrate responsible land management to society, not simply the ability to produce certified wood for the market. This shows the great flexibility and multi-faceted nature of the PEFC system to be able to deliver such outcomes.”