0156-A5
F.Hatami 1, T.Shamekhi, M.A.Mirsadeghi
Three matters left pending related to the programme elements of the intergovernmental negotiations on Forest including: Trade and Environment, Transfer of Environmentally Sound Technologies and Government Led Initiative of I.R.IRAN to support sustainable forest management selected to review and research. A questionnaire about these matters including conclusions and proposal for action related to the matters based on their documents prepared and delivered between all Organizations, Institutes and Officers related to forest in Iran.
The paper concluded most of the organizations and Institute have a little information about trend of intergovernmental dialogues on forest. Main reasons of this problem have been concluded cross-secto ral issues and a lack of capacity building, but after Tehran meeting and establishment of Tehran Process Secretariat in Iran, they have found out, one of the national expedients of Iran should be promote the Secretariat and establish linkage between other members. The main implementation of led Initiative I.R.Iran is initiating a process towards placing the issues of low forest cover on the policy and political agenda low forest cover countries.
According to following negotiations on forest after holding the world summit (Rio,1992)specially with holding new period from 1995 to now (Intergovernmental panel on Forest,IPF.1995-1997,Intergovernmental forum on Forest,IFF.1997-2000,United Nation Forum on Forest,UNFF.2001-2005),although at first it is thought that these policy debate on Forest has not significance for our country with attention to its low forest cover, but Iranian delegations participated in these negotiations perceived soon It is important to attend actively for our country and other countries with low forest cover also, it is necessary for the countries to defend own special issues with more coordination.
Taking long time the negotiations on forest which is the sign of difficulty of issues related to forest and the nature of multi aspects of forest policy is in some conditions that all countries follow to protect its own interests and national expedients. So Where Iran has attended at these negotiations as an active member of group77, it tries to determine and explain its national expedients seriously.
This research is trying to consider and reviewing the issues through questionnaire about three important classified issues in the documents of panel and forums on forest with using the opinion of managers and experts in order to recognition the cases that is important in negotiations for our country and also it will recognize that which are our major interests so they can be emphasized and stressed properly and it participate with assigning its own clear positions in the negotiations.
This research just addresses and reviews three matters related to forest that left pending in the negotiations and one of them is very important for Iran. These matters are:
The major points, which discussed about trade and environment at the negotiations, include international certification scheme for forestry plan and forest products and eco-labelling scheme for forest products. The negotiations recognized the potential role of voluntary certification of forest management and labeling of forest products as among the potential tools in promoting sustainable forest management and differentiating forest products and services in the market. However, experience that is more practical is necessary to reach conclusions on the effectiveness of such programme, on the other hands these schemes have not been known in most developing countries such as Iran.Although just 2 percent [1] of all world forests and their products are under the schemes. Short explain about the schemes is that which forest products come in the market those coming from sustainable managed forest..The negotiations(IPF/IFF/UNFF) proposed all countries,including trade parties to contribute to achieving trade in wood and non-wood products and services from sustainable managed forests,and implement policies and actions, in particular avoiding policies that have adverse, effects,either on trade or on sustainable forest management also in negotiation and also was proposed countries urged to recognize the special importance of imports of forest products for countries with low forest cover to satisfy their needs for forest products and services to assist them in expanding and rehabilitating their forest cover.
IFF/IPF reiterated although the transfer of technology but, it that improved access to and utilization of can alleviate not every constraint to sustainable forest management environmentally sound technologies have great potential for enhancing sustainable forest management. Indeed, policy environments and measures favorable to sustainable forest management. The negotiations addressed, proposed, and under scored the importance of assisting developing countries with low forest cover in their efforts in respect of capacity building that would facilitate the development and transfer of environmentally sound technologies to address those needs [4].
In support of proposals for action of the negotiation on forest led initiative entitled "International Expert Meeting Needs and Requirements of Developing Low Forest Cover have been held by I.R.Iran. (Tehran, 4-8 October 1999). The meeting was the first gathering about assistance to low forest cover developing countries and with needs and issues of near to 450 million people [3] who live in and around forest. The term low forest cover counter is meant by FAO, IUFRO & UNEP those countries that area of their forests are less than 10 percent of total area of the country, Which includes about 70 countries. At the meeting participants stressed the low forest cover countries issues should be in political instruction and making policy in facture international dialogues on forest. They also issued a declaration about it that has been signed by all participants. And short time after meeting a secretariat established to follow low forest cover countries issues as a focal point and began new process for the issues entitled" Tehran process"[2].
According to these three matters it was necessary to collect opinions of related organizations and other interested parties and,so was prepared a questionnaire with about key issues and main points exactly related to the above three matters and was discussed about them through asking and answering.Interested parties include: High Council for Forest, Soil and Range of Forest and Range Organization, Research on Forest and Range Institutes, Ministry of Industries, Industrial and Scientific Research Organization of Iran, Wood and Paper Industries Company of Gillian Province, Environment Conservation Organization, Deputy of Foreign Commerce.
From most of answers about the possibility of executing certification and eco-labelling schemes perceived that there is a little information about the schemes in Iran.
The gathering answers about transferring of environmentally sound technologies results that any necessary consideration about existing technologies has not been full filled in developing countries especially countries with low forest cover.
Answer reveal this point that although technology and transfer of it to developing countries have been accomplished since past, technology and its knowledge considering its transferring process are new in developing countries.
Investigating discussions were recognized that any relevant organization in particular Forest and Range Organization have not support Tehran process Secretariat, of course these not only is related to existing weak interest and cross sectoral relationships but also in common attention to natural resources is not in high level in national policy. Therefore, take into account Tehran process and its Secretariat are in much lower in national policy agenda. On the other hand, after Tehran meeting and initiating working of the Secretariat, many of relevant organizations have not been informed the activity of this secretariat and their relationship with secretariat were broke of perfectly. Nevertheless, the Secretariat should be as a "center of excellence" for making relationship among technical and especially official offices related to forest and exchanging experiences to other countries and getting thoughts and learned from other countries.
So much is certain that international political trends will influence us either like or not and political power of world community on forest is stronger than our power and developing community. There fore even if consciously presence in negotiations and planning for participation in it and declaration to presence compared to country interest have not been any positive conclusion, it will inform us from probable dangers of its interest result and it will prepare us to tackle with it. It is likely that its positive results can accompany us to execute the forest policies and access to sustainable forest management.
Receiving experiences and learned lessons from other countries which are a comprehensive national forest programmes is our interests in this negotiations but Iran has not been succeed to provide them yet, and consideration about can be the most important motivations for Iranian delegations participated in the negotiations.
International negotiations on forest have stressed greatly attract the attention of technical and financial support and capacity building for collection from international projects on forest in developing countries.Therefore it is likely to increase receiving these supports presence in negotiations.
Iranian experts in some Organizations relevant to forest have insufficient information about substance of the negotiations on forest such as eco-labelling scheme for forest product or International certification schemes and low forest cover countries issues. While addressing these subjects can be initiation point to submit new suitable innovations from Iran experts on forest policy according to special the characteristics of their forest, and to encourage them to research in these subject, even this likely to access beneficial advantages.
Forest and Range Organization in Iran, Foreign Affair Ministry should support technically and financially to strengthen Tehran Process Secretariat. They should allocate special budget and make capacity building on forest policy.
1 - FAO.2001.Global Forest Resources Assessment.
2 - Forest &Range Organization of I.R.Iran.1999. Report of the international meeting of experts on special needs & requirements of developing countries with low forest cover.
3 - UNEP.2001.Report of the secretary General on Progress in Implementation on Rehabilitation and Conservation Strategies for Countries with Low Forest cover.E/CN.18/2002/6.
4 - United Nations Documents.2000.E/CN.17/2000/14.Report of the Intergovernmental Forum on Forest on its fourth session.
1 Tehran University, Natural Resources Faculty,
2 Tehran University, Natural Resources Daneshkadeh Str. 31585-4314 Karaj, Iran Faculty, 31585-4314 Karaj,Iran
3 Forest and Range Organization,High Council For Frest,range and Soil