Illegal logging and associated trade in illegally sourced wood products are important causes of deforestation and forest degradation in many developing countries. Forest destruction in turn contributes up to 20 per cent of global carbon dioxide emissions. Illegal logging also robs cash-strapped governments of vital revenues, has a devastating impact on the livelihoods of forest-dependent people, and fosters corruption and conflict. Over the last decade governments, the private sector and civil society have recognized these impacts and have made increasing efforts to tackle the problem. This study attempts to measure the scale and the effectiveness of the response to illegal logging. It examines the response in countries where illegal logging occurs and also in those countries which import, process and consume illegally sourced wood. In addition to measuring the extent to which illegal logging and associated trade has changed over time, the study examines how attention to the problem has changed and how governments and the private sector have responded. Various indicators and means of verification have been designed, tested and used by Chatham House to measure the response in five timber-producing countries, five consuming countries, and two countries whose timber trade is largely based on processing imported raw material for export.

Type of Case
Printed publication (book, sourcebook, journal article…)

Publisher
Chatam House

Region
Global

Biome
All

Forest Type
All forest types (natural and planted)

Primary Designated Function
All