Working Group Meeting Report
7th Meeting of the Working Group on Criteria and Indicators for the Conservation and Sustainable Management of Temperate and Boreal Forests
Montréal Process
Auckland, New Zealand
October 31, 1995
- The Working Group on Criteria and Indicators for the Conservation and Sustainable Management of Temperate and Boreal Forests (Montreal Process) held its seventh meeting in New Zealand, October 30-November 4, 1995. This was the first meeting of the Working Group in follow-up to the Santiago Declaration, which was endorsed by ten countries at the sixth meeting of the Working Group held in Santiago, Chile, in February 1995.
- Following a Maori welcome, the meeting was opened by the Governor-General, Her Excellency, Dame Catherine Tizard.
- The meeting welcomed the endorsement by Argentina and Uruguay of the Santiago Declaration in July and October 1995, respectively. The Montreal Process now includes the following 12 countries which together represent about 90 percent of the world’s temperate and boreal forests, as well as some tropical forest areas; Argentina, Australia, Canada, Chile, China, Japan, Republic of Korea, Mexico, New Zealand, Russian Federation, the United States of America and Uruguay.
- Participants included representatives of 11 Montreal Process countries as well as representatives of the Helsinki Process, Amazon Cooperation Treaty, a number of other countries, intergovernmental and non-governmental organisations, and New Zealand forest interests. A list of participants is attached.
- The meeting elected the following officers: Chairperson, Dr John Valentine (New Zealand); Vice-Chairperson, Dr Se-Kyung Chong (Republic of Korea); Rapporteur, Dr Joan Mosley (New Zealand).
- The Santiago Declaration and the comprehensive set of criteria and indicators annexed to it have been translated and distributed in seven languages: Chinese, English, French, Japanese, Korean, Russian and Spanish.
- The meeting welcomed presentations and status reports on: sustainable management of forests through UNCED to the Commission on Sustainable Development and the Intergovernmental Panel on Forests, the Food and Agriculture Organisation’s role in sustainable forest management, the International Tropical Timber Organisation’s role in sustainable forest management, the Montreal Process, the Helsinki Process, the Amazon Cooperation Treaty, the Forest Stewardship Council, the United States forest industry’s Sustainable Forestry Initiative, and the work to establish the applicability of the International Organisation for Standardisation’s 14000 environmental management series to sustainable forest management. The meeting was also informed about the New Zealand forestry sector as well as the New Zealand Forest Accord and the Principles for Commercial Plantation Forest Management.
- The meeting welcomed reports from Montreal Process countries on national implementation of criteria and indicators. These reports indicated that countries were at different stages of implementation. Countries are now reviewing existing data against the Montreal Process criteria and indicators with a view to determining data collection needs and refining the specific application of the indicators based on country conditions. Possible research requirements are also being identified and addressed. A flexible approach will likely to be needed in developing ways to implement the collection and analysis of data on indicators.
- The meeting also welcomed reports on national implementation of criteria and indicators under the Helsinki Process from France, Germany and the United Kingdom, as well as reports on forest activities from Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea and South Africa.
- Montreal Process countries underscored the importance of future cooperation among countries on national level implementation of criteria and indicators, including among neighbouring countries, or those with similar forest conditions. In this regard it was agreed that each country would report on its approach to data requirements, including collection, and its approach to reporting on each indicator at the next meeting of the Montreal Process. On this basis, the next meeting would consider how best to advance comparability among Montreal Process countries on country approaches to measuring and reporting on indicators. Consideration would also be given at the next meeting to preparing a format and timetable for a first approximation report for the Montreal Process as a whole, preparatory to the final session of the Intergovernmental Panel on Forests in March of 1997.
- The meeting exchanged views on the relationship between national level criteria and indicators and certification. The Montreal Process countries reaffirmed that the criteria and indicators have been developed for the assessment of sustainable forest management at the national level. While internationally agreed criteria and indicators could also help clarify ongoing dialogues related to international trade in forest products as noted in Section 1.2 of the Annex to the Santiago Declaration, they are not intended to be used directly for certification at the forest management unit level.
- The Montreal Process countries will seek to meet on the margins of one or more of the upcoming international forestry related meetings if it appears that most countries will be represented. Canada as liaison office will consult with countries on their plans and preferences in advance of IPF related meetings.
- Montreal Process countries will seek to report on work in progress, at the Intergovernmental Seminar of Experts on Criteria and Indicators for Sustainable Forest Management to be hosted by Finland, August 19-21, 1996.
- It was agreed that the procedure, as followed by Argentina and Uruguay, for a country to join the Montreal Process is a diplomatic one. An interested country should by diplomatic channels inform the Government of Chile that its government endorses the Santiago Declaration. Chile will inform Canada as the liaison office, which will inform the other Montreal Process countries.
- Australia graciously offered to host the eighth meeting of the Working Group in June, 1996, immediately following the international Conference on the Certification and Labelling of Sustainably Produced Forest Products which will be hosted by Australia in Brisbane on May 27-30, 1996. Australia will inform Canada of specific details of dates and venue in due course.
- The Working Group welcomed the willingness of Canada to continue to serve as the liaison office for the Montreal Process.
Attachment A
7th Meeting of the Working Group on Criteria and Indicators for the Conservation and Sustainable Management of Temperate and Boreal Forests
(Montréal Process)
Auckland, New Zealand
October 31, 1995
LIST OF PARTICIPANTS
Please see Who is Involved: Montréal Process Contacts