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06 June 2017 the Netherlands
Several hundred companies, governments, and civil society and non-governmental organizations have committed to zero deforestation initiatives. However, all may not have fully realized the enormousness and complexity of the challenge in committing to zero deforestation, and it appears that some did not know exactly what they stepped into. What is clear though, is that this endeavour is very much at the initial stage of development, and early work and experimentation is showing the way to putting in place what is needed.
01 June 2017 the Netherlands
More than 140 people gathered in Den Haag on 31 May to hear from experts from the Central African region and those who have worked there. They told the assembled participants, from the Dutch government, private sector, academia, NGOs and civil society from the region and Europe, on the importance of the Congo Basin forests but also the increasing threats they face. But there was also much hope, with the sharing of concrete actions that have worked, and what more we can do, including suggestions for a Dutch development agenda that could support private sector engagement in the sustainable use of Central African forest landscapes. The conference was co-organized by the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Global Compact Network – Netherlands, and Tropenbos International.
20 April 2017 Viet Nam
Information and knowledge about the landscape approach for participatory land use planning at the communal level was shared during the kick-off workshop “Landscape Approach for Land Use Planning in Gung Re commune, Di Linh District” jointly organized by Tropenbos Viet Nam, the Sustainable Trade Initiative/the Initiative for Sustainable Landscape (IDH/ISLA) and the People’s Committee of Di Linh district on 12 April 2017.
23 March 2017 the Netherlands
In the presence of the Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation, Lilianne Ploumen, representatives of the Dutch timber trade, processing and retail sector, civil society, trade unions and the Dutch government, signed the Promotion of Sustainable Forest Management agreement. This will strengthen the business case for the sustainable management tropical forests, ensure international responsible business throughout the timber value chain, stimulate the market demand for sustainably produced timber and the simplification of administrative rules regarding the use of sustainably produced timber.
23 March 2017 the Netherlands
Signing of the ‘Promoting Sustainable Forest Management’ agreement - Den Dolder, the Netherlands, 22 March 2017 - In the presence of the Minister of Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation, Lilianne Ploumen, representatives of the timber, construction, furniture and retail industries, trade unions, civil society and the government, signed an agreement that will promote sustainable forest management and further strengthen international corporate social responsibility in the entire timber supply chain.
22 February 2017 DR Congo
During years artisanal loggers in the Orientale Province of DR Congo have been faced with all sort of irregularities from the authorities at the moment of paying taxes, processing logging permits and paying fees. As was the case on 13 January 2017 when the chair of an association of artisanal loggers from Bafwasende went with 15,000 US$ in an envelope to pay the taxes owed by the members of its association to the province of Tshopo. But the authorities didn’t issue the permit for the period stipulated by the law.