While the European Union's Voluntary Partnership Agreements with Indonesia and Ghana have resulted in improvements in forest governance in both countries, problems like corruption and misinformation about small-scale and domestic markets have yet to be addressed, according to a series of reports from international affairs think tank Chatham House.
Chatham House authored reports on four countries known for illegal logging operations: Brazil, Ghana, Indonesia and Laos. A summary provided by Chatham House provided some insights on two of the countries studied, Brazil and Laos.
Specifically, progress to curb illegal logging in Brazil has slowed because of limited resources, timber tracking system flaws and complex legal requirements. Laos, while signaling its willingness to sign the Voluntary Partnership Agreement, needs "fundamental governance reforms to improve transparency and accountability" in the forest sector.
Each country's progress toward a future free of illegal logging is being undermined by competing agriculture, mining and infrastructure development, the report says.
