Sarawak Timber Association
(STA) is a key institution actively fostering collaboration between its
members, the government and international organisations to advance the timber
industry, ensuring policy alignment, market compliance, and sustainability
across both upstream and downstream activities in Sarawak.
In line with our
recognition of tropical forests’ crucial role in climate mitigation and
biodiversity conservation, promoting sustainable forest management (SFM) has
become an inherent mission of STA. STA
has committed significant efforts to promote sustainable practices and
responsible resource management, aiming to ensure the well-being of our forests
in the long term. Combined with a shared global concern for forest conservation
and environmental challenges, the organisation of this International Conference
is therefore timely. Against this backdrop, I warmly welcome all participants
to contribute to this crucial undertaking.
The Conference is a vital
platform for collaboration among policymakers, industry experts, and other stakeholders
to emphasise the importance of SFM for promoting good governance, environmental
conservation and social responsibilities. It covers diverse topics such as
tropical forest management, bioeconomy, net-zero initiatives, global market
trends, insights from various forest concessions, reduced impact logging,
climate-smart practices and challenges in the timber industry. It will also
explore various green financing options to support SFM practices, marking a significant
milestone in bringing together expertise and fostering a call to action.
Our goal is to explore effective
strategies for encouraging more permanent forests with sustainable tenure through
a paradigm shift in SFM supported by transparency and good governance in
licensing and reporting. For government bodies, environmentalists, socialists, non-governmental
organisations, timber industry or media alike, transparent consultation is key
to achieving a balanced win-win outcome that incorporate pragmatic measures.
With that, on behalf
of STA I extend my heartfelt appreciation to participants, speakers,
moderators, and partners for their invaluable contributions that have been
instrumental in ensuring the success of the Conference.
Click for the presentation file and speech.
With
great pleasure and enthusiasm, I extend a warm welcome to all distinguished
guests, speakers, and delegates to the International Conference on Sustainable
Management of Tropical Forests. I am honoured to be a part of this significant
event that brings together experts, researchers, and practitioners from across
the globe to delve into the critical issues surrounding the sustainable
management of our precious tropical forests.
Forest Department Sarawak takes immense pride in
being the key implementing agency dedicated to the conservation and sustainable
use of our state's rich forest resources. Through strategic initiatives,
innovative policies, and collaborative efforts, we strive to strike a delicate
balance between meeting the growing demands for resources and ensuring long-term
health and resilience.
This
conference serves as a pivotal platform for exchanging knowledge, ideas, and
best practices among global thought leaders in tropical forest management. In
an era marked by unprecedented environmental challenges, the importance of
collaborative knowledge-sharing cannot be overstated. The diverse perspectives
and experiences brought forth by our esteemed speakers will undoubtedly
contribute to the development of holistic and effective solutions that
transcend geographical boundaries.
As we engage in fruitful discussions and forge
new connections, let us collectively reaffirm our commitment to the sustainable
management of tropical forests. By fostering cooperation and mutual learning,
we can amplify our impact and work towards a future where the delicate balance
between human needs and ecological preservation is maintained. May our
collective efforts pave the way for a more sustainable and resilient future for
our tropical forests.
Click for the presentation file and speech.
WWF-Malaysia has always been on a conservation agenda for the benefit of people and nature. The Sarawak Conservation Programme strategy is developed with inputs from partners and stakeholders from government agencies, private sectors, academia and local communities.
The conservation of forests is one of our key targets, and is aligned with the government’s policy to set aside 6 million ha Permanent Forest Estates and 1 million ha Totally Protected Areas.
One of our key work is helping the government to identify priority conservation areas, as a reference for sustainable land use planning which include the conservation of forests. Other work include the promotion and capacity building on High Conservation Values, wildlife surveys inside forest management units, and engagement with and empowerment of local communities. Community empowerment can equip affected stakeholders such as the communities, with the necessary and right knowledge to participate in sustainable forest management.
Conservation of forests and our natural resources require strong partnerships among all sectors. This international conference comes at the right time when efforts must intensify as we progress towards the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals and 2050 Net Zero target.
The vast forests of Sarawak have crucial roles in Malaysia’s climate and biodiversity commitments, and I echo the efforts made by the Sarawak Government in keeping these forests.
Forests that are sustainably managed can bring in economic, social and ecological benefits. Above all, the function of forests in mitigating climate change impacts is of utmost importance. Therefore, all parties should adopt multifaceted and innovative approaches in the conservation of forests, aligned to these commitments, and to work ever more closely together.
As a member of the organising committee, WWF-Malaysia welcomes all speakers and participants to the conference and I wish you a fruitful engagement over the next two days.
Click for the presentation file and speech.
SUSTAINABLE TROPICAL FORESTRY, SUPPLY CHAINS AND INVESTMENT –
A PATHWAY FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE
The relevance of forests, especially tropical forests, in facing global challenges from poverty to climate change cannot be overstated. The effective implementation of sustainable forest management (SFM) in the tropics has never been more pressing. Sustainably managed tropical forests and associated legal and sustainable timber supply chains are vital for ensuring the longevity of tropical forests while addressing both conservation and responsible production and consumption. Timber is one of the most environmentally friendly materials that exists. It is critical to dispel the misconception that harvesting in a tropical forest leads or contributes to deforestation. Timber, when sourced, processed and used legally and sustainably, is a renewable, carbon-storing and recyclable material – a cornerstone of sustainability.
Sustainable timber harvesting provides forest owners with revenue to maintain their forests. However, further efforts are needed to place robust, verifiable information on the legality and sustainability of tropical wood and tropical wood products in the marketplace to enable consumers to support and reward the efforts of timber suppliers who are managing their forests legally and sustainably. Such valuable resources also generate employment for local people, including local communities and indigenous people. Malaysia, for one, has tremendous experience in how much benefits can be derived from value-adding and processing of wood resources. Further investments accompanied by appropriate fiscal and non-fiscal incentives are urgently needed to realize the full potential of tropical forests and wood industries to provide efficient and cost-effective nature-based solutions for a sustainable future.
My keynote address will highlight major global changes in tropical wood production, consumption and trade in the last three decades, and their impacts on SFM. It will also showcase examples and other initiatives that illustrate the potential of sustainable tropical forestry to uplift livelihoods, conserve forests and provide multiple benefits worth replicating and escalating across the tropics, which in turn, will greatly contribute to global sustainable development.
Click here for the presentation file.
Mr Yong Teng Koon served the Malaysian Timber
Certification Council (MTCC) for 20 years from November 2001 to July 2021. He joined MTCC as Manager in-charge of forest
management certification, promoted to Senior Manager (Forest Management) in
September 2006 and further promoted to Chief Executive Officer (CEO) in January
2013. He retired from MTCC in July 2021.
Prior to joining MTCC, Yong was
attached to the Forest Management Unit of the Forestry Department Peninsular
Malaysia Headquarters for 17 years from 1984 to 2001.
Yong holds a Bachelor Degree on Forestry from
Universiti Putra Malaysia (1984) and a Master Degree in Forest Management from
University of British Columbia (UBC), Canada (1996).
Dr. Alain Karsenty, environmental economist, is Senior Scientist at CIRAD (Montpellier, France) since 1992. His research and expertise area cover most of the economic instruments for the environment, including ecological taxation, Payments for Environmental Services (PES) and REDD+. He has an extensive knowledge of land tenure, concessions, forest policies and practices in West & Central Africa and Madagascar, his main fieldworks. As an international consultant for ITTO (International Tropical Timber Organisation), the World Bank, the EU, FAO, etc., he participated in several policy and economic reforms processes with national teams in Africa. He is the authors of dozens of scientific articles, and co-authored several books and special issues. He was, for 10 years, member of the scientific board of the French GEF (FFEM), he is an advisor for the L’Oréal Fund for Nature Regeneration, and member of the Board of Directors of ATIBT (Association Technique Internationale des Bois Tropicaux).
Title of presentation: PES, biodiversity certificates and other economic instruments for responsible forest concessions
Economic
instruments are generally designed to provide incentives (and sometimes
disincentives) to economic agents. One attractive instrument is Payments for
Environmental Services, whether backed by the carbon market or funded by
fees/taxes collected at national level. However, an important condition is
additionality of the results, to avoid paying for business-as-usual, a not that
simple notion. Carbon credits number and value will be indexed on both results
and carbon prices, while non-carbon PES are generally indexed on the
opportunity cost of modifying management practices. Some activities, such as
increasing felling cycle length or increase minimum diameter of cutting can be
eligible activities.
Biodiversity
credits or certificate, as framed in the international discussions, are more
contribution instruments for rewarding biodiversity net gains, then offsetting
instruments. Basically, their purchase by corporations allows them to make
claims that reflect the amount invested in biodiversity schemes, without
opening rights to “develop” another ecosystem.
Until
recently, little or no use was made of fiscal instruments for forest protection
in developing countries. The rise of independent third-party certification
systems since the 1990s open new perspectives for using taxation as an
incentive. Fiscal incentives, through tax cuts for responsible producers, could
compensate for the absence of price premiums but would diminish public
revenues. The principle of the ‘‘bonus-malus’’ (feebates) seems promising to
the extent that it does not reduce government budgetary revenues (budget
neutrality).
Click here for the presentation file.
Ms Sheam Satkuru was appointed as ITTO’s
first female Executive Director at the 57th session of the International
Tropical Timber Council in December 2021.
Ms Satkuru has nearly 30 years of
experience in tropical forest policy and the wood products industry. She is a
specialist in international trade regulations, with strong skills and
experience in international negotiations, legal and policy analysis,
communications and public affairs. She has served as a technical expert, adviser and board member in several
capacities. She holds a Master in Corporate and Commercial Law degree from King’s
College, the University of London and was called to the English Bar in 1993.
A citizen of Malaysia, Ms Satkuru was ITTO
Director of Operations between October 2017 and January 2022 and was based in
Europe for Malaysia prior to joining the ITTO. Throughout her career, she has focused very
much on sustainable tropical forestry, linking the private sector and
communities, international policies and legal and sustainable international
trade in forest products/industries.
Dr. Gary Theseira is a director and council member at Climate Governance Malaysia (CGM), an adjunct faculty member at the Asia School of Business (ASB), serves on the board of the Centre for Environment, Technology and Development Malaysia (CETDEM), and is advisor to the Malaysian Green Technology and Climate Change Corporation (MGTC).
Following his tenure at the Forest Research Institute of Malaysia (FRIM), where he conducted forest carbon quantification, supported the National Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) programme, and led the development of the biodiversity clearing house mechanism, he was seconded to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (NRE) as Deputy Undersecretary for Climate Change and negotiated for Malaysia at fourteen UN Climate Conferences (COPs). In 2012, the G-77 and China appointed him to coordinate negotiations leading to the 2015 Paris Agreement, and in 2018, he was appointed by the Minister of Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change, YB Yeo Bee Yin, as Special Functions Officer on Environment and Climate Change.
He currently assists the Joint Committee on Climate Change (JC3) on the development of the National Climate Data Catalogue and serves on the Selangor State Action Council on Climate Change (IKLIM) as a subject matter expert.
Dr Theseira has B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees in Agriculture from Southern Illinois University, received his Ph.D. in Agronomy from Mississippi State University, and conducted Post Doctoral Research at the University of Minnesota.
Title of presentation: Net-Zero Commitments and their Impact on the Forestry Sector
According to the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC AR6), to stay within the 1.5-degree temperature boundary, emissions cannot exceed 340 to 400 Gg. This means that global greenhouse gas emissions need to halve by 2030 and reach zero by 2040. Regrettably, however, global net-zero pledges are falling very much short of that target as too many of the large developed-country emitters are only planning on achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. Net-zero emissions pledges have been made at National, Subnational (state/city), as well as at the Corporation level. These pledges are governed by different accounting, compliance, and reporting frameworks, some mandatory, and others, voluntary, and therefore have differing implications. Regardless, these entities are all seeking supplies of credible and verified emissions offsets at the lowest possible cost. In response to this demand, numerous emissions reduction and greenhouse gas removal projects have been initiated with the expressed purpose of generating verified emissions reductions. These are supported by an ecosystem of assessors, validators, standards, verifiers, and auditors. A recent report, however, cast serious doubt on the veracity of forest-sourced carbon offsets, claiming that credits were being generated for ‘protecting’ forests that were not threatened or that credits were being issues for tracts of forest, previously monetized for the same purpose. These alleged violations of the principles of additionality, permanence and ‘no double counting’ have given rise to organizations dedicated to ensuring the environmental integrity of sources of carbon credits as well as the integrity of credit consumer entities. These allegations have also driven governmental regulatory agencies to formulate principles and guidance aimed at preventing and eliminating such practices. This presentation provides a summary of these developments and updates stakeholders on the various methodologies, guidance, and initiatives being tabled at various fora aimed at resolving these issues and delivering a consistent supply of verified nature-based offsets to meet growing demand.
Click here for the presentation file.
Prof. Dr. F.E. “Jack” Putz is a Research Professor in the Forest Research Institute at the University of the Sunshine Coast in Queensland and a Distinguished Professor at the University of Florida. He started his research career in 1973 under the supervision of Tang Hon Tat and Francis S.P. Ng at the Forest Research Institute of Malaysia in Kepong. His goal as a scientist is to improve the fates of tropical forests through implementation of silvicultural practices that reduce the deleterious impacts of selective logging and increase the sustainability of timber yields without undue losses in biodiversity or ecosystem functions. To this end, he has long been involved in forest certification and in forest carbon marketing. Although his RIL-Sabah project, which started in 1993, was ground-breaking in its approach, no RIL-based carbon credits have yet been sold (but policies are now aligned for such sales to happen). While he has published hundreds of scientific papers that have been cited by other scientists thousands of times, he admits that the impacts of his research on the fates of forests have been extremely modest. Despite these failures, his efforts on behalf of forests and forestry remain undiminished.
Title of presentation: Transforming Logging into Forest Management
Tropical forestry fares poorly
economically, ecologically, or politically while sustainability remains an often
misunderstood, elusive, but attainable goal. While carbon financing could help
in the much-needed transformation from timber exploitation to forest
management, carbon marketing opportunities are impeded by the sector’s bad
reputation; too many influential people equate any sort of forest intervention
with degradation. This denigration of forestry can lead to market closures and harvest
bans. In this talk, two carbon-positive and cost-effective alternatives to
business-as-usual forestry practices are explored.
A long-promoted first step away from forest
exploitation to forest management is employment of reduced-impact logging (RIL)
practices. Use of the ‘RIL-C Protocol’, a standardized and efficient way to
assess the stand damage and carbon emissions from selective logging, an
overview of the status of reduced-impact logging in the tropics. As-yet
unpublished data from 25 logging concessions across the Indonesian archipelago
show considerable variation in the effectiveness of RIL implementation, no
apparent benefits of forest certification, and an overall score of 40%
effectiveness.
Lianas (=climbers) are increasingly
impeding tropical forest recovery after selective logging, particularly where
the logging was not careful, overly intense, or too frequent. By liberating liana-encumbered future crop
trees (FCTs) from lianas, timber volume increments and rates of carbon
sequestration can double. Applied to 5 FCTs per hectare, an additional 3.3 MgCO2ha-1
is sequestered at a cost of <$2US per Mg. This carbon-positive,
leakage-free, and totally additional intervention is biodiversity friendly and
ready to implement.
As indicated by 30-years of failed efforts
to market forest carbon from RIL, using carbon financing to cut lianas or
otherwise improve tropical forestry is fraught with challenges. Meeting these
challenges will be greatly aided by endorsement and full participation of
forest industries.
Click here for the presentation file.
Ms Charmaine Chee is a passionate advocate for a nature+ world, committed to protecting the environment and promoting responsible business practices. With over a decade of experience in the financial services sector, Charmaine decided to pivot her career towards sustainability. She served as a team member in the Corporate Governance & Sustainability department of Bursa Malaysia, CSR department of a conglomerate, and World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Asia Sustainable Finance team before joining FSC Malaysia in October 2020.
In her current role, Charmaine works towards implementing FSC’s global strategy at the national level. She believes that sustainably sourced forest-based products, particularly those certified by the FSC, can play a critical role in creating resilient value chains, economy and communities, as well as supporting net-zero and biodiversity goals.
Title of presentation: Advancing climate-smart forestry with the Forest Stewardship Council
Sustainable
forest management is a fundamental component of climate-smart forestry, as it
provides the framework for balancing environmental, social, and economic
objectives while mitigating climate change impacts and biodiversity loss.
Overall, sustainable
forest management is essential for achieving climate-smart forestry objectives
by enhancing carbon sequestration, reducing emissions, conserving biodiversity,
supporting local communities, and promoting effective governance of forest
resources. By integrating sustainable practices into forest management,
stakeholders can contribute to climate change mitigation efforts while
promoting environmental, social, and economic sustainability.
Click here for the presentation file.
This
session aims to catalyse discussions on how financial innovation can be
harnessed to advance the cause of SFM.
Mr Lawrence Chia is currently the CEO of the Samling Group which have businesses in automobiles, properties, timber, infrastructure oil palm with operations in a number of countries globally and have more than 15,000 employees.
Since joining Samling 7 years ago , he has embarked on transforming the various businesses embedding ESG and Sustainability initiatives
Prior to joining Samling, Lawrence was the CEO of Deloitte China, and was a member of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited (DTTL) Executive Committee based in New York and DTTL Asia Pacific Executive Committee based in Hong Kong.
He is a Chartered Accountant of the Institute of the Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, member of the Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants and also a member of the Malaysia Institute of Accountants.
Dr. Jason Hon received his doctorate degree from the Graduate School of Global Environmental Studies, Kyoto University, Japan and his MSc in Ecology from Aberdeen University, Scotland. He has worked in the field of conservation for almost 20 years. He has carried out camera trapping activities in various localities in Sarawak, including inside logging areas and oil palm plantations. In Sarawak, he has traveled extensively to various parts in the interior for work, and have worked with different communities in promoting communities’ involvements in managing natural resources, especially by encouraging and empowering their active participation in co-management and conservation of forests and wildlife habitats. Currently, he holds the position of Associate Director of Sarawak and Conservation Science, WWF-Malaysia and oversees the implementation of the programme, with a staff capacity of about 30 people. His roles include leading, overseeing and coordinating the design and implementation of WWF-Malaysia’s conservation strategies in Sarawak, aligned to local, national and transboundary conservation agenda, and WWF’s Global conservation outcomes; developing and maintaining strategic partnerships including project funding proposals; deploying capacity and creating program management and monitoring processes. He is also a member of the WWF-Malaysia Management Team; and heads the Conservation GIS Unit. He provides support to civil societies and nature-based conservation bodies on project proposal development and technical report writing; and conducts public talks and lectures on conservation related subject matters. He has served as a member of the Standards Review Committee of Malaysian Timber Certification Scheme; and RSPO Peatland Working Group; and is presently a member of the SDG CSO-Alliance Sarawak Chapter and also a Board member of FSC Malaysia.
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