PUBLIC PROCUREMENT NEWS

  

News

4 November 2014

Public procurement can play major role in promoting sustainable forestry, states paper

Through leading by example and advocating best practices, governments can help decrease the levels of illegal logging while promoting sustainable forestry, according to the paper Promoting Legal and Sustainable Timber: Using Public Procurement Policy, produced by Chatham House. The paper examines governments’ efforts to use public procurement policy to promote the use of legal and sustainable timber.

At present, at least 26 countries, mostly in the European Union (EU), have outlined a timber procurement policy at central government level. The continued proliferation of the EU Green Procurement Policy programme, and the growing number of pledges by private companies to ensure their supply chains are sustainable, demonstrates an expanding global commitment to the procurement of sustainable timber.

The paper outlines evidence that suggests these timber procurement policies are having a broader impact on consumer markets. The paper also concludes that timber procurement can provide valuable lessons to governments for developing other sustainable procurement policies, specifically in relation to palm oil, a major force behind deforestation.

For more information, and to download the report, visit the SPRC resource centre.