While the European Court of Auditors recently chided the European Union for not adopting an initiative to combat illegal logging, Ghana
was praised for almost fully embracing the plan since it was introduced 12 years ago.
Along with Indonesia, Ghana has made the greatest strides toward achieving full licensing under the EU Action Plan on Forest Law Enforcement,
Governance and Trade (FLEGT).
FLEGT was introduced in an effort to control climate change by eliminating illegal logging in order to limit carbon emissions.
"Four countries (Greece, Hungary, Romania and Spain) have not yet fully implemented the EU Timber Regulation, which was introduced to prevent illegal timber entering the EU market,” Karel Pinxten, a member of the European Court of Auditors, said. “As the chain of control is only as strong as its weakest link in the single market, illegal timber could still be imported into the EU via these four countries. Europe, on the other hand, has promoted a licensing scheme to ensure that timber-producing countries around the world export only legal timber. The EU should, firstly, put its own house in order and set an example in tackling illegal logging and the trade of illegally harvested timber.”
The European Court of Auditors cited a lack of adequate planning and a lack of clear funding priorities toward timber-producing countries as important factors contributing to the initiative's lack of progress.
More Stories
- Nigeria's Economic and Financial Crimes Commission argues against bail for Binance executive
- Advancing Women’s Leadership in Peace and Security: ECOWAS Holds Inaugural Regional Steering Group Meeting
- ECOWAS Convenes West African Epidemiology Network on Drug Use (WENDU) Workshop to Validate Data and Address Regional Drug Abuse Challenges, Affirms Support for Sierra Leone
- African Development Fund Provides Credit Guarantee to Support Green Initiatives in Rwanda
- President Boakai Nominates Additional Officials To Government
- African Development Bank Renews Bank-Civil Society Committee for 2024-2026 Term
- Brazil Joins Lusophone Compact to Boost Private Sector in African Portuguese-Speaking Countries
- Research Project Update: 'Mapping the Information Landscapes of St Helena'
- St Helena Utilities Regulatory Authority Consults on New Tariff Proposals
- Cultural Development: ECOWAS Awards Prizes to Young Artists at MASA d’Abidjan