The impact of SFM-certification on forest product markets in Western Europe — an analysis using a forest sector simulation model

In the international discussion on labels for sustainably produced wood products based on the certification of sustainable forest management (SFM), little attention has been paid to what is probably the most crucial part of any market-based instrument: the potential impact on forest products markets. This paper analyses the potential impact of SFM-certification on forest products markets using a simulation model of the Western European forest sector. Two scenarios with assumptions regarding certification (chain-of-custody costs, timber supply reduction from certified forests) are projected for the period 1995–2015 and tested against the results of a base scenario (‘business as usual’). In general, the results show that rather modest changes are to be expected from SFM-certification in forest products markets. The market impact of a timber supply reduction from certified forest would be more distinct than the impacts of chain-of-custody costs. Industry gross profits would decrease more than production. Due to the large share of roundwood costs in total costs, the sawmill industry would be affected more by even small changes in raw-material prices than the panel and paper industry.     

Assessment of motivation and attitudes of forest industry companies toward forest certification in northwestern Russia

This study explores for the first time the attitudes and motivation associated with forest certification among forest industry companies in northwestern Russia. Interviews were carried out in the form of a structured questionnaire including 35 forest industry companies operating in northwestern Russia. Although development of certification in individual companies was initiated by general market demand, representatives of certified companies also emphasized the importance of internal corporate policy. Certified and noncertified groups of respondents identified market demand as a main driving force influencing development of forest certification. Ensuring the legality of wood origin, company's image and competitiveness of wood products were recognized as the most important benefits associated with forest certification. Absence of mandatory requirements from authorities and customers appeared to be the largest obstacle among both groups of respondents. Representatives of noncertified companies pointed out economic inaccessibility and low level of preparedness of management as of high importance, which is mainly associated with absence of quality management system. The results of the study indicated a general positive attitude on forest certification; it was noticed that respondents have gaps in understanding the principles and limited awareness with regards to forest certification, especially among noncertified forest industry companies.     

Consumer willingness to pay price premiums for environmentally certified wood products in the U.S.

Since its inception nearly 15 years ago, environmental certification has become an important issue in the wood products industry. One research question that has been examined is the potential willingness for supply chain participants to pay a premium for certified products or raw materials to offset certification costs. This study examines stated willingness to pay for four wood products from the perspective of U.S. consumers. Data was collected in 1995 and 2005 from the population of U.S. residential consumers to detect changes in willingness to pay for certified wood products along time and increase the statistical strength of the model. Results of an ordered probit model suggest that higher probabilities of paying a premium are associated to consumers who seek out certified products and who believe certification can lessen environmental impacts such as tropical deforestation. There is also a strong relationship between respondent income and willingness-to-pay. Despite the current industry structure in the U.S. that has adopted a mass-certification strategy that does not place price premiums on certified products, results suggest that such premiums may exist for imported certified tropical wood products. Analysis of marginal effects suggests consumers' willingness to pay a 10% premium for three of the four certified items studied. Niche markets may potentially be exploited in the U.S. and price premiums captured by wood products manufacturers in tropical regions and/or American importers.     

Certification of a Community-based Forest Enterprise for Improving Institutional Management and Household Income: A Case from Southeast Sulawesi,Indonesia

Forest certification for community-based forest management was designed to strengthen an area’s forestry functions while simultaneously alleviating poverty by developing the existing community forest. It is fundamental for forest certification to maintain the economic benefits for certified local sellers and balance conservation goals with increasing local incomes. This study explores how FSC certification of a community-based forest enterprise in Southeast Sulawesi in Indonesia could improve effectively field situations of community forest management and strengthen local peoples’ financial benefits and social perceptions towards conserving forests. FSC group certification was introduced in the area of teak community forest of several villages in 2005. Because of local strong interest in group certification, the size of certified forests, the number of group certification members and the amount of certified wood harvested gradually increased. The support of a local NGO and an international NGO contributed towards successful establishment of group certification and establishment of a small-scale forestry enterprise producing certified wood in a sustainable manner. These NGOs played important roles in establishing strong relationships between producers and consumers, strengthening local forest management institutions, and promising social and economic benefits to the local people.     

中国与东盟各国木质林产品贸易网络结构分析

文中在分析2008-2017年中国与东盟木质林产品贸易规模和结构的基础上,测度双方的贸易竞争性和互补性,进而运用社会网络结构分析法建立木质林产品贸易的结构关系网络.研究结果表明,中国与东盟各国木质林产品的贸易关系网络密度有所提高,且中国处于网络中心位置;随着双方贸易往来日益频繁,贸易竞争性有所增强而互补性有所下降,但中...     

Why Certify? Motivations,Outcomes and the Importance of Facilitating Organizations in Certification of Community-Based Forestry Initiatives

Despite documented challenges, many community-based forestry (CBF) initiatives pursue forest certification. This study asked community-based forestry practitioners in Vermont what influenced their decisions to seek or not seek certification and what outcomes were realized from certification. Relationships, public image, value alignment and feedback on management practices were most commonly cited as both motivations for and results of certification. Expectations for economic benefits were low and price premiums for products were only occasionally realized. Informants complained of the increasing cost, complexity and time commitment required of certification. Overall, however, certified CBF informants felt certification was worth the expense. Group certificates and external funding significantly reduced certification costs to grassroots CBF initiatives. This study highlights the importance of facilitating organizations that can provide outreach, secure funding, understand the rules, handle documentation and develop markets for certified products.     

中国FSC森林经营认证不符合项分析

作为提高森林经营管理水平、促进森林可持续经营的一种制度创新,森林认证对森林生态保护和建设以及世界林产品贸易均具有影响。森林管理委员会(Forest Stewardship Council,FSC)认证是目前全球最具影响力的森林认证体系,不符合项是针对FSC认证标准层面开具的企业在开展森林经营过程中违反认证标准所包含的原则总和,通过对不符合项进行分析,可以总结出我国已通过认证的森林经营企业经营状况与FSC标准的差距。文中从FSC网站收集中国开展FSC森林经营认证的80家企业的191份审核报告,对FSC认证的发展现状和认证机构开展审核时提出的不符合项进行分析。结果发现,企业在环境影响、森林监测、当地社区、劳动者权利、森林经营方案编制方面与FSC认证标准存在差距。应从加强企业森林认证动力、企业森林认证能力和技术建设以及国家政策支持等方面进一步提升,进而提高森林认证对我国森林经营管理的作用。     

美国对华加征关税对中国林产品出口的贸易阻碍与贸易偏转效应分析

文中首先整理2018—2019年美国对华加征关税的各轮产品清单及相关加征关税税率,检验美国对华实际关税税率变化对于中国各省（区、市）林产品出口表现的影响,包括上述关税变动冲击所产生的贸易阻碍和贸易偏转效应。研究发现:1）在美国对华加征关税清单公布和生效后,短期内美国对华实际关税税率的上升阻碍了中国林产品对美出口贸易,但中方恢复较快;2）美国对华实际关税税率的上升引发了中国林产品对其他主要贸易伙伴出口偏转规模的显著增加;3）上述贸易偏转效应显著存在于我国东部和中部地区。据此,建议我国政府部门与行业协会加强信息传递与风险预警能力,注重开发替代市场以保障林产品出口安全,并充分利用“双循环”发展机遇,加快实现林产品的国内产业生产转移及销售拓展。     

气候谈判、木材产品国际贸易及其关系研究现状

文中介绍气候谈判产生的背景、谈判机制设计、影响谈判进程的因素等方面研究现状, 分析贸易政策与环境、资源禀赋、汇率变动等对木材产品国际贸易的影响; 在此基础上, 讨论气候谈判与木材产品国际贸易之间的关系。现有研究文献表明:气候谈判通过关税直接对木材产品国际贸易产生影响, 通过非关税措施包括森林认证、进口产品检验检疫、森林碳汇等对全球木材产品国际贸易产生直接或间接影响。然而, 这些研究主要还是基于简单的逻辑推理, 对于涉林气候谈判影响木材产品国际贸易的机理并没有进行深入剖析, 更没有通过大样本实证检验涉林气候谈判对木材产品国际贸易的影响。     

中蒙俄经济走廊视域下的木质林产品贸易分析

文中从贸易规模和贸易结构2个方面概述了中国与俄罗斯以及中国与蒙古间的木质林产品贸易现状,运用产业内贸易指数分别从进口和出口2个方面对2006—2015年中俄和中蒙主要木质林产品贸易情况进行分析。结果发现,中国与俄罗斯及蒙古之间木质林产品贸易规模和产业内贸易水平正在逐年增长,但产业内贸易水平仍总体偏低,贸易方式仍以产业间贸易为主。中俄和中蒙在木质林产品贸易上具有很强的互补性,应以中蒙俄经济走廊的发展为契机,加强林业经贸合作,实现区域互利共赢。     

现代电子称重技术发展对森林收获计测的影响

回顾森林收获计测技术的发展历史,分析现代电子称量技术的发展应用前景,指出木材及木制品以体积计量计价的局限性和以重量计量计价的优势,认为当前一些木材市场上出现的买卖双方以重量而不是以材积计量计价现象有其历史必然性。基于以重量计量计价更为客观、准确、快捷、高效,并大幅降低成本的优势,其在纸浆等工业原料林经营、林业碳汇贸易等方面具有广泛应用潜力。     

森林认证对全球林产品贸易影响实证分析

文中基于贸易引力模型,以73个开展森林认证的国家（地区）2015—2020年林产品进出口贸易数据为被解释变量、森林认证证书数量为核心解释变量,结合经济规模、经济发展水平、地理距离、森林资源禀赋和加入WTO、自由贸易区协定签署情况等影响因素,对森林认证与林产品贸易间的关系进行实证分析。研究结果表明:一国所拥有的森林认证证书数量增加能够显著促进林产品出口和进口;若贸易双方经济规模较大且经济发展水平相当,均加入WTO或签署自由贸易协定也会促进该国林产品出口和进口;本国森林资源丰富有助于林产品出口,同时会减少林产品进口;双边距离过远则会阻碍两国林产品出口和进口。建议我国完善顶层设计,持续推进森林认证,通过深化与国际组织和其他国家森林认证体系的交流与合作,保护森林、改善环境,实现可持续发展。     

中国加强进口木材合法性管理的经济影响分析

非法采伐及相关贸易被认为是导致毁林和全球气候变暖的主要原因之一,对全世界的经济、社会和环境带来了负面影响。中国是全球第1大林产品贸易国,进口木材已占我国木材来源的50%以上,而其中很多来自非伐采伐风险比较高的热带国家/地区,倍受国际舆论压力。在此背景下,中国政府正在不断完善相关法规政策以加强对进口木材合法性的管理。文中采用静态GTAP模型模拟了出台进口材合法性管理政策法规背景下企业选取不同合规机制对中国和全球林产品贸易的影响。结果表明,中国加强进口材合法性的管理将改变中国木材进口格局,其产生的主要福利损失由中国和被判定为非法采伐高风险的国家/地区承担,而低风险国家/地区则实现了福利增加。     

试论我国开展森林认证工作

开展森林认证工作是我国森林经营与管理工作与国际接轨的一个重要内容,是实现我国森林可持续经营的有效途径。文章介绍了我国森林认证的开展情况,分析了在我国开展森林认证可能存在的问题和障碍,提出了在我国开展森林认证的建议。     

木材产品的国际贸易展望

文章回顾了国内外木材产品的贸易概况和趋势,讨论了环境问题对木材产品国际贸易的影响,指出入世后在全球经济一体化的新形势下,我国木材工业要根据国家可持续发展的整体目标,认清自身优势,迎接未来挑战,更好地利用森林和木材可再生资源,以更低的成本向客户提供更好的产品和服务,为生态建设、生态安全、生态文明作出贡献。     

Why Brazilian companies are certifying their forests?

The paper examines the two forest certification schemes in Brazil, the Brazilian Program of Forest Certification (Cerflor) and the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), from the private sector perspective. The main focus is to test the relevance of three mechanisms—market, learning, and signaling—suggested by Overdevest and Rickenbach (2006), to explain forest certification adoption by Brazilian companies. Furthermore, companies' familiarity with certification systems, external influences on pursuing forest certification, and companies' intention to recertify their forests are investigated. An exploratory factor analysis (EFA) suggests that signaling and learning mechanisms lead to better and more transparent forest management, explaining the movement towards certification, but market incentives do not play an important role in the adoption of forest certification. An importance and performance analysis (IPA) demonstrates that companies do not see any return in terms of a better price for certified products; however, certificate holders indicated overall high satisfaction with market access. Interestingly, a high performance was found for non-economic benefits such as public confidence, improvement of forest management and practices, improvement of management systems and performance, self-discovery of non-conformance, and better public, landowner, and supplier communication. International consumers and shareholders were considered the most important groups influencing companies to seek certification and FSC was reported to be the most familiar scheme. Generally, companies were pleased with certification and indicated their intention to recertify.     

中国与亚太地区主要国家木质林产品贸易竞争性与互补性分析

亚太地区拥有丰富的森林资源,中国与亚太地区主要国家林业经贸合作前景十分广阔。文中运用显性比较优势指数、贸易互补性指数和产业内贸易指数分别对2006—2015年中国与亚太主要国家木质林产品贸易的竞争性与互补性进行分析,结果表明:与亚太主要国家相比,中国木质林产品竞争力较弱,但与其贸易互补性很强。中国应积极加快木质林产品结构转型,提升产品质量以增强竞争力,并利用贸易互补性扩大与亚太主要国家的林产品贸易规模,实现区域互利共赢。     

Forest product trade,wood consumption,and forest conservation—the case of 61 countries

Trade barriers of forest products are often advocated in the name of protecting forest resources. Whether the promoting of trade of forest products will increase or decrease the global forest resources is still a matter of debate. We offer an assessment of how forest product trade helps shape observed forest change, by relating wood consumption change to trade of forest products based on cross-section data from 61 countries in 2010. The result shows that wood outputs have positive effects on wood consumption. Compared to domestic production, the result suggests that imports of forest products can help reduce wood consumption. This may indicate that trade liberalization can promote the allocation efficiency of timber resources across the global, which can improve the utilization efficiency and reduce the wood consumption in the world to protect the global forest resources. It is suggested that the high-efficient harvest and wood-processing technological transfer should be advocated in the international community to contribute to global forest conservation.     

中国胶合板出口美国遭遇的非关税贸易壁垒及其影响分析

随着林产品生产规模的扩大和出口份额的提高, 中国林业企业遭遇越来越多的出口贸易壁垒, 尤其是在作为我国胶合板出口第1大市场的美国。这不仅阻碍了我国林业产业的发展, 甚至严重威胁一部分企业的生存。文中利用量化分析工具测算出, 在美国消费者偏好中国胶合板产品的情况下, 中国胶合板面临的非关税贸易壁垒相当于150%到580%的从价关税税率。面对严峻的形势, 我国企业应在提高自身国际竞争能力的同时, 积极应对贸易摩擦, 并着力开拓新市场。