Canada and Agenda
21Canada and Agenda
21
CHAPTER 11
Combatting Deforestation
-- Steve Thompson --
Steve Thomson is the Senior Fellow at the National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy (NRTEE). The views expressed in this chapter are those of the author with the input of a number of stakeholders, and do not necessarily represent the views of the NRTEE, the Government of Canada or the Projet de Société.
THE NATURE OF THE PROBLEM
Forests play an important role in soil and water conservation, maintaining a healthy atmosphere and biological diversity of plants and animals. They are sources of timber, firewood and many other attributes.
Forests are renewable and, when managed in a way that is compatible with environmental conservation, can produce goods and services to assist in development.
Now, forests world-wide are threatened by degradation and conversion to other uses because of increasing human pressure. In many parts of the world there is agricultural expansion, overgrazing, unsustainable logging and damage from air pollution. Damage to and loss of forests causes soil erosion, reduces biological diversity and wildlife habitat, degrades watersheds and reduces the stock of fuel-wood, timber and other products available for human development. It also reduces the number of trees that can retain carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas.
The survival of the forests depends on our recognizing and protecting their ecological, climate-control, social and economic values. These values should be included in national economic accounting systems used to weigh development options.
There is an urgent need to conserve and plant forests in developed and developing countries, to maintain or restore the ecological balance, and to provide for human needs. National governments need to work with business, non-governmental organizations, scientists, technologists, local community groups, indigenous people, local governments and the public to create long-term forest conservation and management policies for every forest region and watershed.
It is vitally important to ensure a rational and holistic approach to the sustainable and environmentally sound management and development of forests worldwide.
PROGRAM AREAS AND OBJECTIVES
The four main program areas in Chapter 11 of Agenda 21 are:
(1) Institutional/Human Resource Strengthening related to the development of "rational and holistic approaches" to sustainable forest development, including the development of programs, plans, policies and projects on management, conservation and sustainable development;
(2) Rehabilitation Forestry or "Greening Activities" - mainly concerned with the promotion of planting activities (including urban forestry and industrial/non-industrial plantations) although some mention is made of establishing protected areas, buffer and transition zones, the conservation of genetic resources and the need to improve planning and management of existing forests for multiple benefits;
(3) Capturing Forest Values - developing methods to determine social, cultural, economic and biological values, promoting improved and efficient utilization of industries and secondary processing, recognizing and promoting non-timber products, promoting the efficient utilization of fuelwood and energy and, promoting "ecotourism"; and
(4) Global Information - increasing the capacities for planning, assessment and systematic observations for integrated forest planning, including improving economic information on forest and land resources.
CANADIAN POSITIONS AT RIO
1. Official Canadian Position
Canada had four main objectives with regard to combatting deforestation. They were to seek commitment to:
negotiate an International Convention on Forests;
develop internationally accepted criteria for sustainable forest management;
establish targets for forest cover and protected natural forests; and,
establish a clear institutional focus to continue dialogue, provide leadership and to coordinate international forest-related activities.
2.Non-Governmental Organizations
Canadian NGOs articulated diverse views on preferred outcomes, but most agreed that forests and forestry should be seen in a larger North-South context. NGOs urged Canada to concentrate on domestic forest issues as a precursor to making international commitments or seeking commitments from others. In general, NGOs argued for the following:
Halting deforestation.
Protecting natural forest ecosystems.
Promoting reforestation of degraded forest lands.
Actively addressing the root causes of deforestation to ensure sustainable trade and forest practices.
Guaranteeing the rights of indigenous and local communities.
Forest management policies based on strong scientific foundations
Public access to information and decision-making.
Increased financial support for sustainable forest practices.
No net reduction in forest biomass.
Ecologically sustainable forest practices.
3.Business and Industry
Among the program areas identified as important by business and industry were:
Securing the multiple role of trees, forests and forest lands.
Protecting forests through the promotion of afforestation and reforestation.
Promoting a better utilization and value of trees, forests and forest lands.
Assessment and monitoring of forest related programs and processes.
International and regional cooperation.
4.Indigenous
Indigenous groups were generally alarmed by the absence of representation of their views in government positions. The National Aboriginal Forestry Association had developed five major points in its strategy:
A new First Nations Forest Lands and Resources Act, to be drafted by Indians.
Funding made available to restore Aboriginal forests to sustainable development.
Education and training to raise forest management and skills levels.
Business development programs.
Policy development and advocacy programs.
Indigenous Peoples recommended that development plans should involve Indigenous Peoples to protect, restore and manage their forests and traditional territories. In addition, restoration of existing clear-cut areas are essential to mitigating the spread of this practice and restoring areas to productive and sustaining environments.
COMMITMENTS MADE BY CANADIANS
1.Legally-Binding Documents
No legal texts or agreements concerning forests resulted from the Rio conference. A document on forest principles was agreed, although weakened by negotiation. It did not foreclose the possibility of a future forest agreement, but did enable G-7 countries to report that they had successfully withstood the pressure from Northern countries for a legally binding instrument. Northern countries may equally claim that the door is still open, and that a small step was taken towards it.
2.Political Pronouncements
In his address prior to UNCED at the Museum of Civilization in Hull, Quebec on June 1st 1992, Prime Minister Brian Mulroney announced that "international standards are needed for forest management so we can all use our forests and save them, too."
Also, in his address at UNCED on June 12 1992, then-Prime Minister Brian Mulroney announced that he was proud to sign both conventions on behalf of Canada and that Canada supports the extension of international environmental law to cover the world's forests. The Prime Minister stated that the Government of Canada has decided to extend Canada's own model forest program abroad to support forest management practices in developing countries. In 1992, Canada would contribute $115 million in assistance to developing countries for forest management. In addition, Prime Minister Mulroney reported that the Government of Canada had decided to eliminate the $145 million ODA debt of Latin American countries by exchanging it for sustainable development projects. Canada would also be contributing to the Rain Forest Pilot project initiated by Brazil and G-7 countries and to work on the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) Institute for Forest Management.
3.Alternative NGO Treaties and Kari-Oca
NGO Treaties
At the same time as UNCED, two major international events were also held at Rio. One was the International Non-Governmental Organization Forum (Global Forum). At the Global Forum, 3,100 NGOs discussed a number of matters related to environment and development and produced a parallel set of documents: an NGO Earth Charter and 38 Alternative NGO Treaties. Of these treaties, one addressed the issues discussed in Chapter 11.
NGO Forest Treaty
A number of international NGOs have subsequently designed their own forest treaty, which includes 14 principles and 20 specific actions. In summary the principles state:
Forests are essential to life on earth.
They must be protected to supply the social, economic, ecological, cultural and spiritual needs of present and future generations.
Policies shall include permanent protection, restoration, and sustainable management.
Policy must be developed with maximum public participation, and a public right to appeal and enforce forest decisions.
Indigenous territories must be legally recognized, demarcated and guaranteed.
Traditional knowledge and practices should be maintained, and indigenous rights guaranteed.
Forest conservation cannot be separated from agrarian reform, democratization, social justice, and sustainable development as a whole.
Traditional rights to non-destructive extraction (eg rubber tapping and nut picking) should be legally guaranteed in traditional areas.
Existing plantations should be harvested, and generally converted to mixed plantations of native species.
Plantations can be used for renewable energy, local employment and development if they occupy areas currently not forested, no longer able to support natural regeneration, and not suitable for food crops. Chemicals, biological control, and non-organic fertilizers should not be used.
Logging must take account of habitat destruction, soil erosion, loss of biomass, cultural, economic and ecological damage.
Environmental costs and benefits should be incorporated into "green" accounting at the market and national accounts levels. Based on these accounts, governments should not sell or allocate forest products at a loss.
Recycling should play a significant part in protecting environmental values.
Kari-Oca
The second alternative forum at Rio was the International Conference on Territory, Environment and Development (the Kari-Oca Conference). The Kari-Oca Conference was held immediately prior to UNCED by and for the world's indigenous peoples. More than 650 indigenous representatives participated in meetings and cultural events during the conference. They developed and adopted a 109-point Indigenous Peoples Earth Charter.
The Kari-Oca Declaration and the Indigenous Peoples Earth Charter refers directly to the need to combat deforestation. Indigenous peoples object to the fact that the world's forests are not being used for their intended purposes, but rather, are used to make money. They strongly denounce the destruction of forests in the name of development and economical gains without consideration being given to the destruction which this wreaks on the planet's ecological balance. They suggest that all concessions and incentives provided to industries which affect the ecosystems and natural resources should be cancelled.
DEFICIENCIES, GAPS AND CONSTRAINTS WITHIN CHAPTER 11
Most commentators agree that Chapter 11 leans more to reforestation than to conservation of existing forest, and therefore does not reflect the chapter's title of "Combatting Deforestation". The title itself is limiting in this respect, and the chapter might more suitably be called "Sustaining Forests on Earth". This would allow a broader discussion of such topics as agro-forestry - the planting of trees by private farmers (public agro-forestry schemes appear generally to have failed). Thus the chapter could be widened to deal more completely with:
Conservation of existing forests;
The potential for increased agro-forestry, and the question of land tenure; and,
The way in which forestry questions fit into the North-South dialogue as a whole.
COMPARISON BETWEEN CURRENT CANADIAN GOVERNMENT POLICY AND COMMITMENTS MADE
Canadian government policy has recently undergone review, and the federal and provincial governments have consulted with interest groups and the public to produce a new Forest Strategy. The document updates a similar initiative taken five years ago. While the former initiative has been characterized as dealing with sustainable production of fibre, this agreement deals with sustainable development of the forest as a whole. Work is now underway to establish a set of indicators against which progress in Canadian forests can be measured. In conjunction with Canada's Green Plan, the government has also introduced a "Model Forest" program which will allocate $100 million to partnership groups on ten sites in Canada for the management of a working forest in a way which satisfies the ecological, social and economic demands placed on it. This agreement will involve a wide range of participants from government, industry, Aboriginal groups, academia, local communities, private forest owners and NGOs. Canada will also support three international model forests.
With these measures, Canadian government policy remains true to its own objectives, and may also respond to international concerns that Canada put its own house in order first. While Forestry Canada has newly been subsumed into a new Department of Natural Resources, it is hoped that mechanisms will remain in place to carry out the programs already launched.
CANADIAN ACTIVITIES EVOLVING THROUGH THE SUSTAINABILITY PROCESS
Canadians have been exceptionally active on the domestic forest front during recent years. As well as the government's forest strategy, a number of national stakeholder groups have developed a unanimous set of forest principles under the auspices of the National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy. Each stakeholder has undertaken to produce an action plan for what it will do in support of those principles. The Canadian Pulp and Paper Association has developed guiding principles for forest management in Canada. Similarly, through the Canadian Federation of Professional Foresters Associations, the Canadian Institute of Forestry has written a Code of Ethics, Forestry Principles and Standards of Practise which have been given wide support by the majority of professional foresters' associations.
In addition to these national initiatives, several regional initiatives are in place. A Council on Resources and Environment has been established in British Columbia. In New Brunswick a regional round table on forestry has been set-up. Codes of forest practice have been developed in Ontario, British Columbia and Alberta and have had significant impact on forest management practices. In the field of education, Prince Edward Island has incorporated a Forestry Module into the high school science curriculum. Territorial and provincial governments have also adapted Ontario's Focus on Forests Program to teach students about sustainable forestry. In Nova Scotia more than 7,500 woodlot owners have completed management plans covering an area of over 500,000 hectares.
The public is becoming increasingly involved in sustainable forestry practices in Ontario through community forest projects and in British Columbia through the increased opportunity for first-hand viewing of the forest industry's operations. In Quebec public participation is being encouraged with the new access to forest management plans and public consultations on the forest protection strategy. Continuing protests against zoning on Vancouver Island illustrate another type of public participation. At the same time industry is moving to improve its environmental reputation in Europe.
OTHER RELEVANT INTERNATIONAL SUSTAINABILITY-RELATED FORA
Discussions are underway with Mexico, Russia and Malaysia as the first international model forest sites.
Canada recently hosted a CSCE conference on Boreal and Temperate Forests.
Natural Resources Canada, Canadian Forest Service, will be implementing forests-related UNCED outputs through the Canadian Council of Forest Ministers (CCFM) and National Forest Strategy (NFS) Action Plans.
Canada's International Development Research Centre (IDRC) is proposing use of support and influence with the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) centres around the world to promote their work on forestry and agro-forestry.
Several NGOs are supporting sustainable forest projects in a number of tropical countries.
SUGGESTED READINGS AND INFORMATION SOURCES
Canadian Council for International Cooperation (CCIC). "Towards a Bioregionally based International Instrument on Forests and a Citizen's Global Forest Treaty". (Ottawa: CCIC, 1991).
Forest Round Table on Sustainable Development. Progress Report, (Ottawa: National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy, March 1993).
Government of Canada. Canada's Green Plan. (Ottawa: Environment Canada, 1990).
. Canada's Green Plan and the Earth Summit. (Ottawa: Environment Canada, 1992).
. Canada's National Report: United Nations Conference on Environment and Development Brazil, June 1992. (Ottawa: Environment Canada, 1991).
. The State of Canada's Environment. (Ottawa: Environment Canada, 1991).
. The State of Canada's Forests. (Ottawa: Department of Forestry, 1992).
International Development Research Centre (IDRC). Agenda 21: Abstracts, Reviews, and Commentaries. (Theodora Carroll-Foster, editor), (Ottawa: IDRC, 1993).
. Agenda 21: Green Paths to the Future. (D. Spurgeon, editor), (Ottawa: IDRC, 1993).
. A Guide to Agenda 21: Issues, Debates, and Canadian Initiatives, (Theodora Carroll- Foster, editor), (Ottawa: IDRC, 1993).
Keating, Michael. Agenda for Change: A Plain Language Version of Agenda 21 and the Other Rio Agreements. (Geneva: Centre for Our Common Future, 1993).
World Commission on Environment and Development. Our Common Future. (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1987)
Information Sources:
Association of University Forestry Schools of Canada (AUFSC), c/o School of Forestry, Lakehead University, 955 Oliver Road, Thunder Bay, Ontario, P7B 5E1, tel (807) 343-8511, fax (807) 343-8116.
Canadian Council of Forest Ministers (CCFM), 351 St. Joseph Blvd., 21st floor, Hull, Quebec, K1A 1G5, tel (819) 997-1107, fax (819) 953-3642.
Canadian Federation of Woodlot Owners, 88 Prospect Street West, Fredericton, New Brunswick, E3B 5P8, tel (506) 459-2990, fax (506) 459-3515.
Canadian Forestry Association (CFA), 185 Somerset Street West, Suite 203, Ottawa, Ontario, K2P 0J2, tel (613) 232-1815, fax (613) 232-4210.
Canadian Institute of Forestry, 151 Slater Street, Suite 1005, Ottawa, Ontario, K1P 5H3, tel (613) 234-2242, fax (613) 234-6181.
Canadian Pulp and Paper Association (CPPA), Sun Life Building, 19th Floor, 1155 Metcalfe Street, Montreal, Quebec, H2B 4T6, tel (514) 866-6621, fax (514) 866-3035.
Canadian Silviculture Association, 151 Slater Street, Suite 1005, Ottawa, Ontario, K1P 5H3, tel (613) 234-2242, fax (613) 234-6181.
Canadian Nature Federation (CNF), 1 Nicholas Street, Suite 520, Ottawa, Ontario, K1N 7B7, tel (613) 562-3447, fax (613) 562-3371.
Canadian Wildlife Federation (CWF), 2740 Queensview Drive, Ottawa, Ontario, K2B 1A2, tel (613) 721-2286, fax (613) 721-2902.
Council of Forest Industries (COFI), 555 Burrard Street, Suite 1200, Vancouver, British Columbia, V7X 1S7, tel (604) 684-0211, fax (604) 687-4930.
Department of Natural Resources Canada - Canadian Forestry Service, Place Vincent Massey, 351 St. Joseph Boulevard, Hull, Quebec, K1A 1G5, tel (819) 997-1107, fax (819) 953-3642.
Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations - Forestry Department, Via Terme di Caracalla, I-00100 Rome, Italy, tel (39 6) 57971, fax (39 6) 5797-3152.
IWA - Canada, 500 - 1255 West Pender Street, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6E 4B2, tel (604) 683-1117, fax (604) 688-6416.
Industry, Science and Technology (ISC) - Forest Industries Branch, 235 Queen Street, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0H5, tel (613) 954-3082, fax (613) 954-3079
International Development Research Centre (IDRC), 250 Albert Street, Ottawa, Ontario, K1G 3H9, tel (613) 236-6163, fax (613) 238-7230.
National Aboriginal Forestry Association, 875 Bank Street, Ottawa, Ontario, K1S 3W4, tel (613) 233-5563, fax (613) 233-4329.
National Forest Strategy Coalition Secretariat, Place Vincent Massey, 351 St. Joseph Boulevard, Hull, Qu‚bec, K1A 1G5, tel (819) 997-1107, fax (819) 953-7048.
National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy, 1 Nicholas Street, Suite 1500, Ottawa, Ontario, K1N 7B7, tel (613) 992-7189, fax (613) 992-7385.
Wildlife Habitat Canada, 7 Hinton Avenue North, Suite 200, Ottawa, Ontario, K1Y 4P1, tel (613) 722-2090, fax (613) 722-3318.
Cite as: Projet de société: Canada and Agenda 21.Winnipeg: IISD, 1995. Online. Internet. http://iisd.ca/worldsd/canada/projet/c11.htm.
