The Rio Forest Certification Declaration, launched in 2010 in Rio de Janeiro, is based on the idea that a common set of principles is needed, a set of principles that provides guidance to all of us about what is needed to better promote and expand forest certification.
It recognizes in its preamble that “The challenge of safeguarding the environmental, social and economic benefits that the world’s forests provide is critical for life on Earth. It requires a world in which people manage forests sustainably, a world that recognizes the integral and interdependent nature of our planet, a world that acknowledges and values the significance of rural communities, indigenous peoples, and families that depend on forests for their livelihoods” and states ten principles as a common framework to maximize the benefits that forest certification can offer to society:
- Human beings are at the centre of sustainable forest management
- Recognize and respect national sovereignty in the design and implementation of sustainable forest management policies and standards
- Protect the complexity of forest ecosystems, forest-dependent economies, and rural culture by adopting integrated forest management plans and policies
- Contribute to poverty reduction through empowerment of the poor
- Open and accessible stakeholder processes are essential
- Transparency, inclusiveness, and collaboration are fundamental prerequisites for global sustainability
- Utilize the benefits of renewable and climate-smart forestbased products
- Rely on science, local experience, and traditional forest-related knowledge to advance sustainable forest management
- Use a precautionary approach to prevent irreversible damage
- Promoting global acceptance of sustainable forest management through voluntary programmes and education is the fastest path to healthy forests and vibrant rural communities.
The content above was taken from PEFC International’s website; further information at http://www.pefc.org/news-a-media/general-sfm-news
