China's massive role in illegal logging
China produces more wood and paper products than any nation on Earth. Sadly, much of it comes from illegal timber.
Bound for China...
China's timber is mostly imported from developing nations -- especially from the Asia-Pacific, Africa, and Latin America -- as well as Siberia.
And much of that timber is illegal -- effectively stolen, because no royalties or taxes are paid. Or the timber is acquired by bribery. Or it results from logging in places that shouldn't be logged -- such as national parks and protected areas.
Illegal logging takes a terrible toll on native forests and is a massive driver of deforestation and resulting greenhouse gas emissions. It also robs developing nations of tens of billions of dollars yearly in direly needed revenues -- funds that could be used for schools and hospitals, for instance.
China has been criticized for its role in illegal logging for many years -- and for good reasons. ALERT director Bill Laurance has frequently voiced his concerns -- for instance, see here, here, here, and here.
And now a new report by the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) suggests that China's belated efforts to limit illegal logging are far too limited.
New logging guidelines issued by China -- which are entirely voluntary -- do not regulate importers of illegally-logged timber into China, said the EIA.
Instead of voluntary standards, the Chinese government should establish binding and enforceable laws for its timber importers, just as the E.U., USA, and Australia have done.
“As the world’s biggest importer of illegal wood, and in light of extensive irrefutable evidence that Chinese companies are complicit in driving destructive illegal logging and timber smuggling, China needs to move beyond unenforceable voluntary guidelines and take unequivocal actions to prohibit illegal timber”, said the EIA.
Remnants of an Indonesian rainforest...
China is playing with fire here. As it fails to clean up its act, its wood-product-exporting corporations become increasingly vulnerable to boycotts and other consumer actions. Such actions can have a big impact on a corporation's market share.
Of course, China is not alone. For instance, South Korea, India, and Thailand are also major importers of illegal timber.
But when it comes to illegal timber imports, China is the biggest, hungriest bear in the room. And so far this bear has done far too little to limit its burgeoning appetite for illegal timber.