Saving the Shola Forests - A Commission To Point The Way
Ashok Khosla

International experts met in Delhi last month to design a new initiative, an Independent World Commission on Forests and Sustainable Development.  The meeting was an outcome of the Earth Summit which too place at Rio de Janeiro in June 1992.   

The proposed Commission seeks to create a new vision of forest and forest related issues for the 21st century.  The activities of the Commission and its report will contribute to the work of the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) and to thereview process mandated by the Earth Summit.  It is expected to focus on how countries and the international community can:

The third and final meeting of the Organizing Committee for the proposed World Commission was hosted by Development Alternatives at Delhi.  It brought together officials, non-governmental organisations and individuals from countries that have extensive forest resources or that use forest products.  The earlier meeting took place in Rome and Ottawa. 

Member of the Organizing Committee reviewed the work of existing institutions in the field of forests and sustainable development, including the newly established Commission for Sustainable Development and older organizations like the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and the CGIAR System of Research Organizations.  It came to the conclusion that the sectoral focus of the existing institutions will have to be made more comprehensive.  Agriculture, trade and population policies among others will be taken into consideration by the proposed Commission to formulate policies and measures designed to reduce the rate of forest destruction. 

UNCED adopted a set of forest principles (“Non-legally binding authoritative Statement of Principles on the Management, Conservation and Sustainable Development of all types of Forests”).  It also adopted Agenda 21, which identifies specific programmes of action in this area. 

The debate at the Earth Summit was a significant step forward.  The statement of principles on forests laid the foundation for strengthening future international co-operation in this critical area.  The debate on these principles also uncovered some deep-seated differences between governments, industry, international organisations and NGOs which need to be addressed. 

The Earth Summit also revealed that we lack a solid base of scientific information on the state of the world’s forest in both the North and South.  There are also gaps in our understanding of the social, economic, environmental and political role that forests play in different communities and nations and at the global level. 

The General Assembly has asked the new Sustainable Development Commission to assess the implementation of Agenda 21 and the statement of principles in due course. 

Between now and then, there is both a need and an opportunity to take a fresh look at key issues and to formulate some innovative, scientifically sound, institutionally practical and politically reliable approaches to more sustainable forest development in the North and the South.

During the nineteen eighties, various initiatives were taken to deal with forest issues on a global scale.  The first, a discussion paper by UNEP and the governments of Brazil, Zaire and Indonesia was the basis of a discussion on forestry and development among these nations and a few industrialized countries. 

The second was taken by the World Bank, UNDP, FAO and the World Resources Institute.  It led to the formulation and implementation of the Tropical Forests Action Plan (TFAP), which is currently being re-oriented to give greater emphasis to strengthening national planning capacity. 

The third took the form of the International Tropical Trade Agreement.  It resulted in the establishment of the International Tropical Timber Organisation (ITTO), located in Yokohama, with a mandate in implement the agreement. 

The fourth was the World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED).  It introduced the concept of sustainable development, bringing environment and development together in a mutually reinforcing way.  It also put forests and issues related to forests within the context of sustainable development.  The Commission’s report and recommendations were endorsed by UNEP and most other bodies of the UN system and by the UN General Assembly. 

Until recently, forests were seen and treated as a sectoral issue.  With the WCED’s report, forests began to be seen as an integral part of the sustainable development issue.  This was clearly revealed in the conclusions of the Earth Summit: in particular, in the Statement of Principles; various chapters of Agenda 21; and the conventions on Conservation of Biodiversity and Climate Change.

The thrust of these considerations is environmental.  The explosive growth of population coupled with the spread of consumption patterns based on run-away technology and aspirations for wealth are threatening the biosphere as a whole and the human habitat in particular.  A series of overriding environmental issues is emerging that requires definition and major adjustments in the human enterprise.  The Independent World Commission on Forests and Sustainable Development is expected to play a leadership role in advancing these issues before the international scientific, political and governmental communities.  

Meanwhile, commercial and economic issues are becoming increasingly more complicated.  The Commission on Sustainable Development will consider these issues on a multiyear basis but, in the meantime, certain disturbing developments are taking place.  In late 1992, for example, the government of Austria imposed a ban on the import of products from tropical forests that do not carry an environmental lable.  Similar environmentally-based non-tariff barriers are also being considered seriously by the European Community and a number of northern governments. 

Restricting the import of tropical forest products on the pretext of protecting the environment poses serious threat to tropical forest exporting countries.  These acts also violate the Forest Principles as agreed by the Earth Summit.  Article 13 (a) states clearly that “Trade in forest products should be based on non-discriminatory and multilaterally agreed rules and procedures consistent with international trade law and practices.” 

Unfortunately, no mechanism is available to examine or settle these disputes.  An Independent Commission on Forests and Sustainable Development is needed to examine these issues, put them in a proper perspective and recommend mechanisms to resolve resulting conflicts.  It will also seek to :

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