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African Sub-Regional Conference on Independent Forest...
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African Sub-Regional Conference on Independent Forest Monitoring
10th -11th May, 2017Accra
Opportunities in FLEGT for Independent Forest Monitoring and Governance Monitoring
Chris BeekoDirector, TVD
Forestry Commission
Outline
• Independent Forest Monitoring (IFM) in Perspective & Provisions in the FLEGT-VPA
• Snapshot of the Forest Sector Governance Environment
• Opportunities for Civil Society Organisations (CSOs)/Forest Communities
• IFM Challenges – some thoughts
• Conclusion
Independent Monitoring in Perspective
• Independent Monitoring • Third party monitoring of the regulatory regimes with stringent terms of
reference, reporting lines and conformance to industry norms in auditing
• External Monitoring/Community/CSO Monitoring• Less formal rules and reporting lines. Done to promote transparency and
accountability of the regulatory regime
Provisions in the VPA - Article 10
• Assess the implementation of effectiveness of the LAS
• Investigate the relevant works of the Forestry Authority at all the levels of the Forest, industry and supply chain
• Assess document failures
• Assess the effectiveness of corrective actions undertaken
• Assess the completeness and accuracy of published FLEGT relevant production and trade statistics
• Report findings etc.
Provisions in the VPA - Article 16
• Ghana will promote appropriate strategies, modalities and programmes in consultation with relevant stakeholders
• Encourage stakeholder consultation in the implementation of this agreement
The Construct of the VPA
TLAS
Legality Defn.
Licensing Scheme/Au
thority
Verification Sys.
Independent Monitor
CoC (WTS)
• Developed in a sound Governance Environment
• Delivered through structured and verifiable systems
• Credibility enhanced through Independent Monitoring arrangements
FLEGT Licenses
The Layers/Entry Points of Forest Monitoring Under FLEGT: Ghana’s Emerging Experience
Verification & Validation of implementation of Operational Procedures + Divisional Outputs against Legal Standard – Internal Audit Functions
1
TVD(Timber Validation Department)
• Verifies completeness and Validates listed criteria of Legality Requirements (Legality Definition)
Requirement under bilateral agreement -VPA
External Mechanism that aims to evaluate entire control system
2
IM TVC
• Independent Monitoring of GhLAS
• Performed under defined guidelines and under contract
• Complaints & dispute resolution
External Monitoring 3
• Performed to lend credibility to the system
• Normally done under no formal contract and reporting lines
CSOs & Communities
A Snapshot of the Ghana Forest Governance Environment
• Routinized multi-stakeholder deliberative platforms✓VPA – Multi-Stakeholder Implementation Committee✓VPA – Ad hoc Fora to deliberate on new policies e.g. Domestic Market
Reforms✓REDD+ - National Working Group etc.✓Forest Forum – District & Regional
• Participation of CSOs in Legality Verification Audits
• Participation of communities in development of Management Plans & other management activities
• Legislative backing (soon to be) for accessing forest management information
Governance Environment - Access to Forest Resource Management Information
• a list of pre-registered timber companies
• a list of companies with valid property marks
• a list of large scale timber utilisation contracts
• a list of small scale timber utilization contracts
• a list of salvage permits including the names of their holders, location, size, duration, required payments under social responsibility agreements, salvage permit inspection reports including a description of planned development justifying salvage and state of payment of fees and taxes
• a list of certificates of purchase including the names of their holders, date of public sale, quantity and price of timber acquired
Routinized multi-stakeholder deliberative platforms
• Opening up of the policy making process and the shaping of forest policy and governance
• Opportunity to contribute to and monitor progress in the implementation of governance reforms
• Capacity to compete with State Actors for development assistance/funds
• Opportunities to continuously improve upon capacity
Participation of CSOs in Legality Verification Audits
• Professional standards
• Confidentiality
• Conflicts of Interest
• General code of conduct for participation in the evaluation(s)
Public Access to Information
• Creation of Public Information Portals
✓ FLEGT Licenses issued
✓ Quarterly TVD summarized audit records
✓ Quarterly TVD complaints records
✓ Annual records of timber rights fees
• Improved opportunities for holding public office holders accountable
• Opportunities to monitor progress in sustainable forest management
Field Observation & Reporting by Fringe Communities
• An emerging area where communities receive training to be able to observe, detect and report illegalities to certain portals or authorities• Not built in the formal
management and regulatory mechanism
REDD+ Governance (Implementation Phase)
• Hotspot Intervention Area (HIA) consortiums are being set-up withthe CREMA models in mind to fully integrate non-state actors intoREDD+ Implementation and NRM
• HIA consortiums would play a key role in Safeguards Implementation,Participatory Monitoring, Measuring, Reporting and Verification ofCarbon stocks and Safeguards for both national and internationalaccounting purposes
• HIA consortiums would also be actively engaged in the assessment ofactors and beneficiaries of all envisaged REDD+ carbon and non-carbon benefits to enhance inclusiveness, transparency andaccountability.
The Challenges of Independent/CSO Monitoring
• Given their known roles as advocates, CSOs may require some time to convincingly fill the niche of independent (external) monitors
• Sustainability of independent monitoring is still up for debate• Development partners remain sole source of funding
• IFM still remain, largely, a supply led initiative rather than being demand driven
Conclusion
• IFM offers approaches for assessing and strengthening legal compliance inthe forest sector• complementing official forest law enforcement with the objectivity and public
credibility of an independent third party,
• Improving transparency in the short term while contributing to thedevelopment of a sound legislative and regulatory framework forresponsible forest management
• Strengthening of the foundations for sustainable forest management
• Improving access to markets for timber from VPA Partner Countries
• Growth in capacity of external forest monitors (communities) presentfurther opportunities in geographical coverage while lowering cost
• FLEGT – VPAs presents the environment & opportunity to nurture IFM