While these requirements are valid for all types of forests, PEFC stakeholders have decided to amend them with additional requirements and interpretations for tropical natural forests, given their complexity and their distinct environmental and socio-economic importance at local, regional and national levels.

"The sustainable management of the world's forest concerns all of us. Tropical forests have a vast potential to contribute to tackling climate change, they are the most biodiverse terrestrial ecosystem, and they directly or indirectly support the livelihoods of millions of people." said Ben Gunneberg, Secretary General of PEFC International.

"With PEFC's Sustainability Benchmarks defining the management of more than 240 million hectares of forests globally, it is our collective responsibility as forest stakeholders to integrate best practice, new scientific knowledge, societal expectations, as well as practical experiences on the ground, into standards that are globally relevant and locally applicable."

Mr. Gunneberg encouraged all stakeholders to share their knowledge and expertise in this public consultation to ensure that the standard is well aligned with global and local expectations and provides an optimal framework for tropical forest management practices delivering on all three pillars of sustainability – environmental, social and economic.

"With the vast majority of the world's certified forests located in the Global North, there is a real need to revisit forest certification requirements in detail and ensure their applicability in countries with less favourable structures, especially in the tropics, in Asia, South America and Africa – regions in which arguably the most vulnerable forests are located, and in which the potential of forest management to lift people out of poverty is greatest."

More Information

While the Working Group has developed additional requirements and interpretations for a subset of criteria of PEFC ST 1003:2010, stakeholders are encouraged to comment on any criteria, including those for which interpretations have not been deemed necessary so far..

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• Download Appendix 2: Additional interpretation and requirements for tropical natural forests ( 61kB)