Im Amtsblatt veröffentlicht und inkraft treten wird die Regelung frühestens zum Jahresende, wobei dann noch eine Übergangszeit von über zwei Jahren vorgesehen ist, bis Raubbauholz auch wirklich mit Garantie vom Markt ausgeschlossen sein wird.
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Illegal geschlagenes Holz wird auf dem EU-Markt verboten
Umwelt - 07-07-2010Das Parlament stimmt einem Verbot des Verkaufs von illegal geschlagenem Holz und Maßnahmen zur Rückverfolgbarkeit sowie Sanktionen bei Nichteinhaltung zu. Ziel des neuen Gesetzes ist die Reduzierung der illegalen Abholzung. Ferner soll es dem Verbraucher sichere Gewissheit über die legale Herkunft der von ihnen gekauften Produkte geben.
Das Europäische Parlament hat über das mit dem Rat ausgehandelte Abkommen mit 644 Ja-Stimmen und 25 Nein-Stimmen bei 16 Enthaltungen angenommen. Satu HASSI (Die Grünen/EFA, Finnland), die die Ausarbeitung des Berichtstextes von der ehemaligen Europaabgeordneten Caroline Lucas übernommen hat, äußerte sich wie folgt:
"Die EU-Gesetzgebung, die den Verkauf von illegal gefälltem Holz verbietet, ist ein internationaler Durchbruch. Sie bezieht sich sowohl auf die Wälder weltweit, die von illegalem Holzeinschlag verwüstet werden, als auch auf den EU-Markt, auf dem Produkte aus Holz verkauft werden. Die strengen Vorschriften, auf die man sich geeinigt hat, wären ohne eine starke Rückendeckung des Europäischen Parlaments kaum möglich gewesen."
Verbot für Produkte aus illegal gefälltem Holz
Die neue Gesetzgebung verbietet das Inverkehrbringen von illegal geschlagenem Holz oder Produkten aus Holz auf den EU-Markt. Es soll verhindern, dass sich das illegal geschlagene, unter das zugelassene Holz mischt, sobald es auf dem EU-Markt zur Verfügung steht. Derzeit stammen schätzungsweise 20% des auf dem EU-Markt gehandelten Holzes von illegal geschlagenen Bäumen.
Sanktionen und Rückverfolgbarkeit
Die Mitgliedstaaten werden künftig dafür verantwortlich sein, Sanktionen über Händler, die die Regeln brechen, zu verhängen. Zur Verhängung von Geldstrafen sieht die Gesetzgebung entsprechende Leitlinien vor: Verursachte Umweltschäden, der Wert des Holzes und auch entgangene Steuereinnahmen können unter anderem in Betracht gezogen werden. Die EU-Mitgliedstaaten haben außerdem das Recht, strafrechtliche Sanktionen über skrupellose Händler zu verhängen. Um die Rückverfolgbarkeit zu gewährleisten, muss künftig jeder Anbieter einer Lieferkette, genaue Angaben zum Kauf und Verkauf des Produkts machen.
Klimaschutz
Die illegale Abholzung birgt verheerende Folgen. Global gesehen trägt die illegale Abholzung zu 20% aller Treibhausemissionen bei. Weitere potentielle Probleme sind die Verschlechterung der Bodenqualität, Bodenrutsche und der Verlust biologischer Vielfalt. Die Plünderung dieser natürlichen Ressourcen trifft außerdem vom Wald abhängige Völker und die Volkswirtschaften in den Entwicklungsländern.
Nächste Schritte
Der Rat hat diesem Gesetzesentwurf bereits informell zugestimmt. Bevor er in Recht umgewandelt werden kann, muss er jedoch offiziell zustimmen. Das Inkrafttreten der Regeln wird für Ende 2012 erwartet, so dass den Anbietern genügend Zeit zur Anpassung bleibt.
Quelle: Pressemitteilung EU-Parlament
The Malaysian network of indigenous peoples and NGOs (JOANGOHUTAN) releases documentation on 140 land disputes between native communities and the Malaysian state of Sarawak
SIBU, SARAWAK / MALAYSIA. A new report released today by JOANGOHUTAN, the Malaysian Network of Indigenous Peoples and Non-Governmental Organisations, documents the shocking extent of the Sarawak state authorities' disregard for native rights as codified in the Malaysian laws and constitution. It highlights several case studies of logging-related conflicts between native communities and the authorities and lists over 140 cases of pending legal action between native communities and the Sarawak government over the issue of logging, oil palm and paper tree plantation licenses.
The report accuses the Malaysian state authorities of largely ignoring native land rights even where the legal systems and the courts have delivered judgements in favour of indigenous communities and upheld their rights to lands, territories and resources: "It frequently happens that rather than ensuring the law is being upheld, local authorities, police and loggers act in collusion to harass and intimidate indigenous communities", the report states. The report also condemns the state of Sarawak for its lack of "a transparent and open process of Environmental and Social Impact assessments on logging and other projects carried out in Sarawak."
As a consequence, JOANGOHUTAN calls on the European Union not to sign a timber trade agreement with Malaysia "without ensuring it includes a mechanism that forces the Malaysian Government to recognise the rights of indigenous peoples" and a mechanism that ensures that the Sarawak government "must uphold and implement all recent court judgements". Wong Meng Chuo, Director of the Sibu-based NGO Ideal, said: "We urge the Malaysian government and the European Union to ensure that any agreement is based on procedures in accordance with existing national and international human rights laws and instruments recognising the rights of indigenous peoples."
Timber trade talks between Malaysia and the European Union over a Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) have been going on since September 2006 but Malaysia has so far failed to provide sufficient proof of the legal origin of its timber exports, mainly because of a lack of compliance in Sarawak, Malaysia's timber-richest state.
Malaysia is the world's largest exporter of tropical timber. In 2008, Sarawak timber exports alone attained a value of 7.4 billion Malaysian Ringgits (2.3 billion US $). While the European Union takes an estimated 15% of Malaysian timber exports in value terms, only 2% of Sarawak timber exports go to the European Union. The main buyers of Sarawak timber are Japan (38%), India (12%), Taiwan (10%), Korea (9%) and other Asian markets.
-ENDS-
For further information on this issue, please contact Wong Meng Chuo, Director of IDEAL, Sibu/Sarawak, on +60 16 3471 853, .com
Additional information:
JOANGOHUTAN report Logging in Sarawak and the Rights of Sarawak's Indigenous Communities (April 2010), pdf-Datei (400kB)
JOANGOHUTAN list of Sarawak Native Customary Rights (NCR) Land Dispoute Cases involving logging and other issues (April 2010)
]]>München/Sibu, Malaysien. JOANGOHUTAN, das malaysische Netzwerk der Ureinwohner- und Umweltorganisationen, fordert von der EU vor Unterzeichnung einer Holzhandelsvereinbarung auf die Berücksichtigung und strikte Einhaltung der Ureinwohnerrechte sowie transparente und angemessene Umweltverträglichkeitsverfahren bei allen größeren Projekten zu bestehen. Anderenfalls würden die Rechte der Ureinwohner weiterhin missachtet, Wald zerstört und Raubbauholz nach Europa geliefert.
Unbegründet kommt die Forderung so kurz vor der Unterzeichnung der im Rahmen der EU-FLEGT-Aktivitäten geplanten Vereinbarung nicht. In der am 15. April veröffentlichten Studie 'Logging in Sarawak', dokumentiert JOANGOHUTAN die Zustände im angeblich ordnungsgemäß bewirtschafteten Wald des Bundesstaats Sarawak. So werden allein 140 Gerichtsverfahren gelistet, in denen Ureinwohnergemeinden gegen die malaysischen Behörden wegen ungesetzlicher Landwegnahme zugunsten der Lizenzvergabe an Holzfirmen klagen. Darüber hinaus bestehen die Organisationen auf transparentere und offenere Umweltverträglichkeitsprüfungen mit angemessenen ökologischen und sozialen Kriterien - nach Spielregeln der Partizipation, wie sie in Europa längst selbstverständlich sind.
Pro REGENWALD unterstützt die Argumentation der malaysischen Organisationen. Pro REGENWALD-Mitarbeiter Martin Glöckle, der die Diskussion zu Maßnahmen gegen den Handel mit illegalen Holzprodukten verfolgt und auf www.raubbau.info dokumentiert, sagt: "Die EU muss und wird natürlich die traditionellen Rechte der Ureinwohner respektieren - anderenfalls wären die Hölzer nach EU-eigener Definition illegal."
Ungeplant - aber die Notwendigkeit der auf dem Papier dokumentierten Forderungen bestätigend - errichteten Penan im Upper Baram-Gebiet in Sarawak zwei Straßenblockaden um Transportfahrzeuge der Firma Samling vom Abtransport von Holz abzuhalten, welches in Wald geschlagen werden soll, den die Penan als ihren Gemeindewald erhalten wollen.
Weitere Information:
JOANGOHUTAN report Logging in Sarawak and the Rights of Sarawak's Indigenous Communities (April 2010), pdf-Datei (400kB)
JOANGOHUTAN list of Sarawak Native Customary Rights (NCR) Land Dispoute Cases involving logging and other issues (April 2010)
Konkrete Fragen an:
Martin Glöckle, Pro REGENWALD, 80807 München, tel 089-359 8650, Email: .org
Wong Meng Chuo, Director of IDEAL, Sibu/Sarawak, tel +60-1634 71 853, Email: .com
]]>15 April 2010
New report slams Sarawak government's unlawful dealing with native land rights
The Malaysian network of indigenous peoples and NGOs (JOANGOHUTAN) releases documentation on 140 land disputes between native communities and the Malaysian state of Sarawak
SIBU, SARAWAK / MALAYSIA. A new report released today by JOANGOHUTAN, the Malaysian Network of Indigenous Peoples and Non-Governmental Organisations, documents the shocking extent of the Sarawak state authorities' disregard for native rights as codified in the Malaysian laws and constitution. It highlights several case studies of logging-related conflicts between native communities and the authorities and lists over 140 cases of pending legal action between native communities and the Sarawak government over the issue of logging, oil palm and paper tree plantation licenses.
The report accuses the Malaysian state authorities of largely ignoring native land rights even where the legal systems and the courts have delivered judgements in favour of indigenous communities and upheld their rights to lands, territories and resources: "It frequently happens that rather than ensuring the law is being upheld, local authorities, police and loggers act in collusion to harass and intimidate indigenous communities", the report states. The report also condemns the state of Sarawak for its lack of "a transparent and open process of Environmental and Social Impact assessments on logging and other projects carried out in Sarawak."
As a consequence, JOANGOHUTAN calls on the European Union not to sign a timber trade agreement with Malaysia "without ensuring it includes a mechanism that forces the Malaysian Government to recognise the rights of indigenous peoples" and a mechanism that ensures that the Sarawak government "must uphold and implement all recent court judgements". Wong Meng Chuo, Director of the Sibu-based NGO Ideal, said: "We urge the Malaysian government and the European Union to ensure that any agreement is based on procedures in accordance with existing national and international human rights laws and instruments recognising the rights of indigenous peoples."
Timber trade talks between Malaysia and the European Union over a Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) have been going on since September 2006 but Malaysia has so far failed to provide sufficient proof of the legal origin of its timber exports, mainly because of a lack of compliance in Sarawak, Malaysia's timber-richest state.
Malaysia is the world's largest exporter of tropical timber. In 2008, Sarawak timber exports alone attained a value of 7.4 billion Malaysian Ringgits (2.3 billion US $). While the European Union takes an estimated 15% of Malaysian timber exports in value terms, only 2% of Sarawak timber exports go to the European Union. The main buyers of Sarawak timber are Japan (38%), India (12%), Taiwan (10%), Korea (9%) and other Asian markets.
-ENDS-
For further information on this issue, please contact Wong Meng Chuo, Director of IDEAL, Sibu/Sarawak, on +60 16 3471 853, .com
EU agriculture ministers, meeting in Brussels, rejected an outright ban as favoured by Britain, Spain and the Netherlands and agreed instead on measures including stricter rules on the certification of timber entering the EU.
However, Britain refused to vote for the watered-down measures, arguing they were not enough to stop illegal logging, blamed for 20 percent of carbon dioxide emissions.
"We shouldn't just be restricting illegal timber entering our market; we should be prohibiting it," said British Environment Under-Secretary Huw Irranca-Davies.
Britain argued that the measures approved ran counter to efforts being made by at the U.N. climate talks in Copenhagen to reach an agreement to fight climate change. ID:nLL527527]
The draft legislation approved on Tuesday will be sent to the European parliament for a second reading next year.
The Greenpeace environmental group said the proposal was a weak political agreement pandering to the interests of the timber lobby.
"While negotiations to limit the global climate impact of deforestation are under way in Copenhagen, European governments blocked proposals to improve draft legislation to prevent illegal wood and wood products from being placed on the EU market," Greenpeace, said in a statement.
Environmental groups say Europe buys 1.2 billion euros' ($1.75 billion) worth of illegally felled timber a year, about 20 percent of its imports. (Reporting by Bate Felix; editing by Andrew Dobbie)
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By Bate Felix, © (reuters) 15/12/2009
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]]>Once in China, they will be processed and used for construction or turned into garden furniture and other products to be sold in European and US shops.
More than a third of all Russian logs are smuggled by mafias, a practice that doubled between 2005 and 2007, according to official figures.
It is a huge business. China imports nearly six out of 10 logs produced in the world, after banning logging in its own territory following devastating floods a decade ago.
In total, 10m cubic metres of wood, equivalent to nearly a third of all logging in the Amazon, is harvested every year from Russian soil.
This fuels a massive illegal business that threatens to destroy the largest forest on the planet in 20 to 30 years, according to Forest Trends, an international consortium of industry and conservation groups.
My boss has a guy who shuts up anyone creating problems or speaking too much "Yevgeni", illegal logger
Small logging brigades of some four men, with the help of trucks, are behind most illegal felling.
The head of one of these brigades, a burly young former policeman calling himself Yevgeni, agreed to tell me how the system operated from the inside, on condition his identity was not revealed.
"Quick, jump in the car! I'll be shot if I'm seen with a journalist," he orders as I arrive in a forest clearing.
"My boss has a guy who shuts up anyone creating problems or speaking too much," he explains later.
Corruption
Illegal loggers usually carry guns, says Yevgeni, have sophisticated saws that cannot be heard beyond a dozen metres and place watchmen with satellite phones to warn of intruders. Logging in Siberia Environmental activists say valuable tree species are being taken (Picture by Roman Fadeev, BROC)
Once they deliver the logs to the sawmills, according to Yevgeni, the mafia "legalises" them by bribing officials.
"Most are corrupt - inspectors, policemen, they all protect each other," he says.
Nowhere are the effects of their activities more evident than in the remote mountain villages in the heart of Primorsky region, the last refuge of Siberian tigers.
Anatoly Lebedev, an ex-KGB agent who is now a prominent environmental activist, accompanies me to one of these places.
"In northern Siberia loggers leave a trail of destruction," he says.
"Here, the forests seem fine, but they're actually dead. They're taking the most valuable species like Korean pine, oak and linden, which are key to maintaining the ecosystem. It's a disgrace," he says.
On the way to the village, he jumps up and shouts: "Look! There goes one."
Mr Lebedev points to a truck laden with logs emerging from a small path in the forest.
Dry rivers
Hours later we arrive in the tiny village of Limolniki, a collection of wooden tin-roofed houses.
Nicolai Lizun, a 76-year-old retired civil servant wearing military fatigues, explains that during the Soviet period, the state logging company prevented any illegal activities.
"Now it's all out of control. Illegal loggers working for outside companies come here, destroy everything and leave. It's barbaric." Russian forestry inspectors Anatoly Kabaniets (left) and Alexander Samoilenko have both suffered for their work as forestry inspectors
Next to him, Vitali Tereshchuk, 21, says: "We used to collect strawberries, mushrooms and ginseng. We went hunting, but now the hills are logged, the rivers are dry and soon there will be nothing left."
The powerful Russian mafia barons behind this booming illegal business lavish their money on flashy mansions in the region's capital, Dalnerechensk.
But Alexander von Bismarck, from the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA), a non-governmental organisation or NGO, says the main beneficiaries are Chinese mafiosi and businessmen.
"There's pressure on forests in north-western Russia, touching Scandinavia, but the main problem is in far-eastern Siberia where the mafia is particularly violent," Mr Bismarck told me.
"We went to a dozen Chinese wood-processing companies across the border and most told us that they export all over Europe."
Russian forest inspectors I spoke to said there was little they could do against such well-funded and organised gangs.
Their situation is made worse by the firing of thousands of their colleagues when the then president, now prime minister, Vladimir Putin scrapped the Forest Service in 2001.
Deadly risk
Alexander Vitrik, a local senior inspector, says that in the few cases where someone is arrested, pressure to stop trials is huge from the top levels of government. Map
"I can't give names, but they're protected by very influential people," he says.
Mr Vitrik admits that corruption among inspectors is rife, but declines to go into detail.
Despite these problems, some inspectors vow to keep on fighting.
Alexander Samoilenko, 57, whom I find in an off-road vehicle donated by a Western NGO, is dressed in military fatigues and armed with a rifle and camera to record evidence against any offender.
"Since March, I've only been given 600 litres of gas to patrol seven million hectares," he says.
Mr Samoilenko says those behind the illegal logging set fire to his car and then tried to burn down his parents' house, but failed.
His colleague Anatoly Kabaniets, sitting in the driver's seat, smiles when hearing this: "All this small stuff doesn't perturb us. My son worked as an inspector and was murdered, but we'll never give up."
By Alfonso Daniels, © (BBC News, Dalnerechensk, Russia) 12/10/2009
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