Forests
World Bank fails in implementing its own forest policy

afrol.com, 19 September - In 1991, the World Bank launched its new Forest Policy, which included a ban on logging in primary moist tropical forests. A review of World Bank environmental policies published yesterday by Greenpeace, however, reveals the poor implementation of this policy. In countries like Cameroon, implementation of planned projects is delayed and illegal logging goes on on a wide scale.

- We agree with those who believe that, considering the increase in deforestation in the last decade, it is not the World Bank Forest Policy that is at fault (as some within the Bank appear to claim), but rather its poor implementation. The World Bank has failed to implement its own policy adequately. It has made little progress to address the impacts of adjustment lending on the forest sector, and environmental assessment guidelines are not systematically applied to structural adjustment loans, Greenpeace claims. 

- Furthermore, the World Bank should take full account of its Operations Evaluation Department (OED)´s report acknowledgement that trade liberalisation and market deregulation are among the key causes of accelerated pressure on forest resources, and act accordingly. 

The lobbying to remove the current ban on logging in primary tropical moist forests established by the 1991 Forest Policy largely relies on the OED´s assumption that the existing ban on logging in these forests has had a "chilling" effect on Bank lending in this sector. Yet, the World Bank forest-related lending has increased by 78% since 1991. The OED, therefore, appears to be wrong. We would urge the Bank to move away from the traditional culture of "lending targets" and to focus instead on the quality of operations. The Bank should retain and reinforce the precautionary approach that characterised the adoption of the ban in 1991 and it should extend it to other forest types, such as temperate and boreal forests. 

Logging activities have been and remain among the key direct and indirect catalysts of deforestation. Accordingly, the Bank should tackle the issue of unsustainable logging activities as a matter of priority, Greenpeace stated. With respect to its renewed emphasis on good governance and the rule of law, the Bank should take effective steps to support governments' capacity to implement stringent forest management and conservation efforts, including the prevention of corruption and illegal logging as proposed in the second priority area for enhancement in the OED report.

- More action-oriented research is urgently needed on the relationship between logging and poverty, especially with a view to gaining a better understanding on the distribution of benefits ensuing from large scale logging operations to indigenous communities and the poor. 

- In accordance with its policy on poverty alleviation, the World Bank should also more actively and effectively support socially just and environmentally sound forest management and conservation. It should develop more effective projects to promote the respect of the rights of forest peoples, including land reform and local communities' rights and contribute to the implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity in this regard. 

Cameroon 
Greenpeace urged the World Bank to "firmly (and quickly) support the establishment of an independent monitoring agency to control and prevent illegal logging in Cameroon." This initiative by the Bank together with the Cameroonian Ministry of Environment and Forestry is urgently needed. It is Greenpeace's informed view that the establishment without further delay of a truly independent agency on a permanent basis is a first indispensable step in the process to re-install the law and protect ancient forests in that country. 

In July this year, Greenpeace disclosed a wide scale export of illegally logged timber from Cameroon. Also the Cameroonian government has uncovered illegal logging from some of its big contractors. A quantity of lumber was found by Greenpeace coming from the sawmill of the Lebanese logging company Société Forestière Hazim (SFH), one of the largest logging companies in Cameroon, with a reputation for illegal and destructive logging activities. 

Towards the end of June this year, a government inspection revealed that SFH had trashed almost an entire concession that it had obtained only in late 1997. The concession should have been managed over a minimum 15 year period. Large-scale logging by Hazim was also observed in a part of their concession which had not yet been approved for logging, according to a field inspection report by the Cameroonian Government (June 30). Following the presentation of the inspection team's findings to the highest level in Ministry of Environment and Forestry in July, a decision was taken to exclude Hazim from participating in Cameroon's upcoming public auction of new forest concessions. 

Source: Greenpeace

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