Efforts toward the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have been seen in various fields, and while many of the SDGs are targeted to be achieved by 2030, Goal 15 on forests includes the prevention of deforestation by 2020 through the promotion of sustainable forest management practices.It is also important to promote sustainable wood procurement and consumption under Goal 12, and to ensure that wood procurement and consumption with risks of deforestation and forest degradation are avoided, or in other words, that due diligence (DD) is conducted.
The concept of DD is already well established as a risk avoidance measure for environmental, social, and human rights violations associated with corporate acquisitions and mineral resource procurement, and its implementation will become mandatory in the timber sector. Although there are differences in risk depending on whether upstream or downstream supply chains are involved, basically all companies are required to implement DD.
This seminar aimed to provide information on risk and how to conduct DD not only to those who procure timber directly from domestic and overseas sources, but also to users of timber such as furniture, musical instruments, wooden building materials such as interior materials, and those involved in construction and building work. The lecture started from the basics of what DD is and what are the risks that affect deforestation and forest degradation, and discussed more sustainable procurement and consumption of timber and timber products.
Sponsored by W-BRIDGE Project, Center for Integrated Environmental Research, Waseda University; Center for Tropical Agricultural Research, Kyushu University; FoE Japan, an international environmental NGO