The problem of deforestation and forest degradation is currently highly prominent on the international agenda. In September 2001, the East Asia Ministerial Conference on Forest Law Enforcement and Governance (FLEG) took place in Bali, Indonesia and adopted the Bali Declaration. The participating countries committed themselves to strengthen their efforts in combating illegal logging and other forest crimes. In June 2010 the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) published a review of FLEG progress in Asia and the Pacific, keeping the issue a priority in global environmental governance.
Although the region of Southeast Asia accommodates only 5% of the world’s forests, it accounts for nearly 25% of the global forest loss over the past decade, whereas illegal logging is the major cause (World Bank 2010). Therefore this region is closely watched by the international community regarding progress towards sustainable forest management (SFM). The practice of illegal logging leads to an estimated annual loss of US$ 15 billion in developing countries.
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) recognizes the importance of FLEG as a way to hinder these huge economic losses as well as the environmental and social consequences. The improvement of the region’s reputation and competitiveness in the international market is a pivotal goal.
Yet, deforestation and forest degradation remains an intensifying problem in the region. Traditional forms of state-led global environmental governance seem to fail achieving effective progress in governing the sensitive issue of forestry, where trade, environment as well as social values intersect. Due to the inadequate action of states, private forest certification schemes have emerged as a powerful and prominent type of non-state global environmental governance. This development led scholars and practitioners to consider non-state or private governance as a potential alternative solution for global forest governance.
The aim of this thesis is to systematically assess the chances and limits of transnational private forest governance in ASEAN. The overall intention in writing this paper is to contribute to our understanding of private and public governance and their collaboration. Therefore the central research question of this paper is whether and under what conditions private sector involvement can increase forest governance in ASEAN.
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
2 State of the Art
2.1 The Global Governance Perspective
2.2 The Concept of NSMD Governance
2.2.1 Legitimacy
2.2.2 The Potential of ‘Ratcheting Up’ Global Environmental Standards
3 Approach and Methodology
3.1 Location of the Thesis: A Review of NSMD Governance
3.2 Research Questions and Purpose
3.3 Two-Dimensional Approach
3.3.1 Intergovernmental and Private Governance Regimes
3.3.2 Defining Regime Effectiveness
3.4 Structure
4 Analysis Part I: Traditional State-led Governance – FLEG in ASEAN
4.1 What is FLEG?
4.2 The Current ASEAN FLEG-Process
4.3 The “ASEAN Way” of Regional Environmental Governance
4.4 Strengths and Weaknesses
4.5 Concluding Thoughts
5 Analysis Part II: Forest Certification as a Form of NSMD Governance
5.1 What is Forest Certification?
5.1.1 The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)
5.1.2 The Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification Schemes (PEFC)
5.2 Normative and Theoretical Evaluation
5.2.1 Strengths
5.2.2 Weaknesses
5.3 Concluding Thoughts
6 Analysis Part III: Private Transnational Forest Certification – An Effective Governance Tool for ASEAN?
6.1 Forest Certification in ASEAN
6.1.1 The FSC and National Certification Schemes
6.1.2 Regional Forest Certification
6.1.3 Structural Obstacles
6.2 Assessing the Chances and Limits of Private Sector Involvement
6.2.1 Chances: Certification as a Monitoring Tool
6.2.2 Limits: The Risk of a “Race to the Bottom”
6.3 The Role of the State
6.4 Concluding Thoughts
7 Conclusion
8 Annexes
Annex 1: ASEAN Criteria for Legality of Timber
Annex 2: FSC Principles for Forest Management
9 Bibliography
Research Objectives and Topics
The primary objective of this thesis is to systematically assess the chances and limits of private sector involvement through transnational forest certification within the ASEAN region. The work investigates under what conditions private governance can effectively promote sustainable forest management (SFM) without neglecting the crucial role of state regulation in a regional context characterized by weak institutional capacities and informal political structures.
- The theoretical shift from traditional intergovernmental governance to non-state market-driven (NSMD) governance.
- Evaluation of traditional state-led Forest Law Enforcement and Governance (FLEG) initiatives in ASEAN.
- Comparative analysis of private certification schemes, specifically the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification Schemes (PEFC).
- Analysis of structural obstacles in the ASEAN forest sector, including land tenure rights, corruption, and market orientation.
- Identification of the role of the state in providing a guiding framework for private governance to achieve SFM.
Excerpt from the Book
3.2 Research Questions and Purpose
As indicated above, the private sector has been assigned a central role in tackling illegal logging by promoting governance reforms. Consistent with the theory of liberal environmentalism and the trend in global governance research, many developed countries and international forest businesses urge a stronger involvement of the private sector in tropical forests in order to realize sustainable forest management. However, in developing countries – especially in the well-wooded tropics – where certification could have its greatest impact, support is rather low. This is also true for ASEAN. What are the reasons for this reluctance, given the huge potential? This is one aspect of the question the paper addresses because thus far most research on non-state global forest certification has focused on developed countries.
The objective of the thesis is to evaluate the chances and limits of transnational private forest governance in ASEAN in promoting SFM. Thus, the central research question focuses on whether and under what conditions private sector involvement can increase forest governance in ASEAN. What are the criteria for success of private forest certification schemes and what political conditions favor their emergence and the likelihood of success? The thesis also addresses more general questions regarding the interaction of private and public governance, especially in what ways the role and the capacity of ASEAN Member States is affected by private governance.
Summary of Chapters
1 Introduction: Introduces the prominence of deforestation on the international agenda and establishes the thesis's focus on the ASEAN region and the role of private sector involvement.
2 State of the Art: Outlines the theoretical framework, specifically global governance and NSMD governance, emphasizing the shift toward private rule-setting.
3 Approach and Methodology: Details the two-dimensional analytical approach, integrating both top-down state-led initiatives and bottom-up market-driven governance.
4 Analysis Part I: Traditional State-led Governance – FLEG in ASEAN: Examines government-led FLEG initiatives and the "ASEAN Way" of regional cooperation, identifying strengths and structural weaknesses.
5 Analysis Part II: Forest Certification as a Form of NSMD Governance: Evaluates forest certification mechanisms through a comparative look at the FSC and PEFC, analyzing their normative and theoretical foundations.
6 Analysis Part III: Private Transnational Forest Certification – An Effective Governance Tool for ASEAN?: Assesses the actual performance and structural obstacles of private certification within the specific ASEAN context, evaluating the role of the state.
7 Conclusion: Synthesizes findings, arguing that private governance should be viewed as a complementary tool rather than an alternative to state regulation, contingent on adequate institutional frameworks.
Keywords
ASEAN, Forest Law Enforcement and Governance (FLEG), Sustainable Forest Management (SFM), Non-state market-driven (NSMD) governance, Forest certification, Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification Schemes (PEFC), Global governance, Deforestation, Illegal logging, State-led governance, Policy implementation, Legitimacy, Private sector involvement, Regional cooperation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental focus of this thesis?
The work examines how and to what extent the private sector can be integrated into the ASEAN FLEG process to promote sustainable forest management and curb illegal logging.
What are the primary thematic fields covered?
The thesis explores the tension between private, market-driven governance (like certification) and traditional state-led regional environmental governance within the Southeast Asian political context.
What is the central research question?
The study asks whether and under what specific conditions private sector involvement can effectively increase forest governance in the ASEAN region.
Which scientific methodology is applied?
The author uses a two-dimensional analytical approach, drawing on international relations theories for top-down state perspectives and global governance theory for bottom-up market-based perspectives.
What does the main part of the work address?
The main part is divided into three analytical segments: the state-led FLEG initiatives, the critical discussion of certification as a form of NSMD governance, and an assessment of the specific chances and limits of these tools within ASEAN.
Which keywords best characterize this research?
Key terms include ASEAN, FLEG, sustainable forest management (SFM), non-state market-driven (NSMD) governance, and forest certification.
Why does the author argue that NSMD governance is not a complete alternative to state regulation?
The author concludes that market-based tools often lack the authority and enforcement mechanisms required to protect public goods, which necessitates state intervention to create appropriate framework conditions.
How does the "ASEAN Way" influence regional environmental governance?
The "ASEAN Way," defined by non-interference and consensus-building, often slows down implementation and results in non-binding guidelines rather than strictly enforceable regulations.
- Citar trabajo
- Jana Schwenzien (Autor), 2011, Forest Law Enforcement & Governance in ASEAN, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/385871
