Years of rapid and indiscriminate logging of Philippine forests, coupled with little reforestation, have led to more frequent, widespread, and damaging natural disasters, such as floods, landslides, and other environmental damages. With strong political will and noble intentions, President Benigno S. Aquino III issued Executive Order 23 (EO 23) in 2011. This order sought to protect the country's natural forests by imposing a total ban over logging activities and imposing stronger measures against illegal cutting. Unfortunately, EO 23 intensified the rent-seeking behavior among the regulating agencies and has led to damaging unintended economic and social consequences without accomplishing much of its avowed objectives. Moreover, there are other potentially more effective ways of protecting Philippine forests. On this score, would it possible to achieve a win-win strategy where natural forests are effectively protected without paralyzing the wood industry that provides incomes and jobs?
1. Opening Laos : the Nam Theun 2 hydropower project -- 2. The Congress for People's Agrarian Reform in the Philippines -- 3. New kid on the block : Chinese development assistance in Asia -- 4. Lessons in regional economic cooperation : the case of the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) -- 5. Whither the trees and the forests? : the Task Force Total Commercial Log Ban in the Philippines -- 6. Protecting the domestic worker : the case of Sri Lanka -- 7. Myanmar's development : an opportunity for genuine transformation.
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AbstractThe European Union (EU) is now discussing a legislation proposal to ban illegal timber from the EU market. We use the ICES model to estimate the reallocation of global demand and timber imports following the EU legislation. We aim to assess the economic impacts and measure the potential emission reduction resulting from the introduction of this policy. Results show that an EU ban targeting only log imports is not effective in reducing illegal logging, but its main effect is the removal of illegal logs from international markets. Additionally, the unilateral EU ban increases secondary wood production in illegal logging countries as their exports become relatively more competitive. Through this mechanism, part of the banned illegal timber will re-enter international trade flows 'hidden' as processed wood. Extending the ban to timber processed products eliminates this effect and reinforces direct carbon emissions reduction from logging activities.
Illegal logging is widely recognized as a major economic problem and one of the causes of environmental degradation. Increasing awareness of its negative effects has fostered a wide range of proposals to combat it by major international conservation groups and political organizations. Following the 2008 US legislation which prohibits the import of illegally harvested wood and wood products, the European Union (EU) is now discussing a legislation proposal which would ban illegal timber from the EU market. In this study we use the ICES computable general equilibrium model to estimate the reallocation of global demand and timber imports following the pending EU legislation. With this exercise our final objective is to assess the economic impacts and measure the potential emission reduction resulting from the introduction of this type of policy. Results show that while the EU ban does not seem particularly effective in reducing illegal logging activities, its main effect will be the removal of illegal logs from the international markets. In addition, the unilateral EU ban on illegal logs increases secondary wood production in illegal logging countries as their exports become relatively more competitive. Through this mechanism, part of the banned, illegal timber will re-enter the international trade flows, but it will be "hidden" as processed wood. This effect is, however, limited. Finally, given the limited effect on overall economic activity, effects on GHG emissions are also limited. Direct carbon emissions from logging activities can decrease from 2.5 to 0.6 million tons per year
Illegal logging is widely recognized as a major economic problem and one of the causes of environmental degradation. Increasing awareness of its negative effects has fostered a wide range of proposals to combat it by major international conservation groups and political organizations. Following the 2008 US legislation which prohibits the import of illegally harvested wood and wood products, the European Union (EU) is now discussing a legislation proposal which would ban illegal timber from the EU market. In this study we use the ICES computable general equilibrium model to estimate the reallocation of global demand and timber imports following the pending EU legislation. With this exercise our final objective is to assess the economic impacts and measure the potential emission reduction resulting from the introduction of this type of policy. Results show that while the EU ban does not seem particularly effective in reducing illegal logging activities, its main effect will be the removal of illegal logs from the international markets. In addition, the unilateral EU ban on illegal logs increases secondary wood production in illegal logging countries as their exports become relatively more competitive. Through this mechanism, part of the banned, illegal timber will re-enter the international trade flows, but it will be 'hidden' as processed wood. This effect is, however, limited. Finally, given the limited effect on overall economic activity, effects on GHG emissions are also limited. Direct carbon emissions from logging activities can decrease from 2.5 to 0.6 million tons per year.
This study uses a global model of the forest sector to examine changes in log production, consumption, prices, and trade and discusses the impacts of changes on economic wealth transfers for log export ban and log export tax scenarios. The results indicate that trade barriers are inefficient in allocating logs to domestic processors when a supply shortage exists. The trade barrier produces economic losses that exceed the benefits to the processors. A log export ban reduces log prices in the Pacc North‐west by 8.5% and reduces timber harvests by 6.7%. The logs diverted to domestic mills save 1,208 more jobs than log export job losses but at an average annual cost of £230,463 per job saved. Economic transfers benefit lumber producers in the region under the ban. However, the benefits amount to 61% of regional timber producer losses including losses in the log export price premium, 39% of the loss to Asian processors, and 55% of the global consumer losses. Globally, lumber consumers lose £733 million. A log export tax scenario produces smaller impacts on prices and harvests since it does not eliminate total log exports. The tax scenario saves no jobs, and the average economic gain per job lost is £24,251 or about two‐thirds of the current average salary in the forest products sector in the region. A log tax has the ability to retain £78 million in tax revenues.
Surrogate motherhood has been prohibited by Icelandic law since 1996, but in recent years, Icelandic couples have soughttransnational surrogacy in India and the United States despite uncertainties about legal parental status as they return to Iceland withinfants born to surrogate mothers. This reflects global trends of increased reproductive tourism, which forces restrictive regimes not onlyto make decisions concerning the citizenship and parentage of children born to surrogate mothers abroad, but also to confront difficultmoral issues concerning surrogacy, global justice, human rights and exploitation. In March 2015, a legislative proposal permittingaltruistic surrogacy, subject to strict regulation and oversight, and prohibiting the solicitation of commercial surrogacy abroad, waspresented in the Icelandic Parliament. The proposal aims to protect the interest of the child first, respect the autonomy of the surrogatesecond, and accommodate the intended parents'wishes third. After a brief overview of the development of the surrogacy issue inIceland, this article describes the main features of this legislative proposal and evaluates it from an ethical and global justice perspective.It concludes that the proposed legislation is a response to problems generated by cross-border surrogacy in the context of evolving publicattitudes toward the issue, and constitutes a valid attempt to reduce the moral hazards of surrogacy consistent with insights from currentbioethical literature. Although the proposed legislation arguably represents an improvement over the current ban, however, difficultproblems concerning evasive travel and global injustice are likely to persist until effective international coordination is achieved. ; This research was supported by the Brocher foundation, and by University of Akureyri through a sabbatical leave. ; Peer reviewed
Cover -- Half Title -- Title Page -- Copyright Page -- Original Title Page -- Original Copyright Page -- Table of Contents -- Acknowledgments -- Introduction and Summary -- PART I - THE FUTURE U.S. ROLE IN WORLD FOREST RESOURCE TRADE -- World Forest Plantations-- What Are The Implications for U.S. Forest Products Trade? -- Discussion -- U.S. Export and Imports of Some Major Forest Products: The Next Fifty Years -- Discussions -- PART II - THE EFFECT OF RESTRICTIONS UPON U.S. FOREST PRODUCTS TRADE -- U.S.-Canadian Lumber Trade: The Effect of Restrictions -- Discussion -- U.S. Forest Products Trade and the Multilateral Trade Negotiations -- Discussions -- PART III - THE ECONOMIC EFFECTS OF LOG EXPORT RESTRICTIONS -- Welfare Economics and the Log Export Policy Issue -- Discussion -- U.S.-Japanese Log Trade: Effect of a Ban -- Discussion -- Log Export Restrictions: Causes and Consequences -- Discussion -- Appendix A: Workshop Agenda -- Appendix B: List of Participants
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Innovative ban sought in British Columbia Positive change comes to Oakland WCRO seeks data on rodeo cruelty in the region Grisly display criticized in Paskenta Elko County puppy-mill owners face multiple charges WCRO staff logs productive miles in the Northwest Director's Comment (Char Drennon) Humane Officer training Legislative Lineup
Introduction. Interim results of a full log export ban have evidenced the benefits of such a solution for the national economy and the environment. However, despite obvious achievements, the situation in the wood industry on the whole remains disadvantageous, in particular due to the massive smuggling of the unprocessed wood disguised as fuel wood. Aim and tasks. This article is intended to identify and substantiate legal and regulatory measures of the governmental policy aimed at the intensification of log export ban effects in Ukraine, as well as to give a forecast of macroeconomic effects of the realization of such measures in the mid-term run. Research results. The inadequate institutional environment and the high level of corruption in the public sector form a favorable environment for massive smuggling of wood raw materials subject to a moratorium. Nevertheless, author strongly disagrees with conclusions that a log export ban, as a fragmented tool, totally failed in performing its mission, namely to stop the uncontrolled logging and forest export from Ukraine. One should remember the trade being a two-way process, the responsibility for smuggling should be also assumed by the destination countries which import unaccounted wood originated from Ukraine. It is necessary to urgently strengthen the effect of a log export ban through closing loopholes which are used to export unprocessed wood under the guise of the another associated commodity groups. Conclusions. Vision on regulatory measures system, which is called to strengthen the effect of the log export ban, embraces: a) criminal responsibility for avoiding or deceiving customs control when bringing banned unprocessed wood across the border of Ukraine; b) fuelwood export ban for an eight-year period; c) limitation of unprocessed wood volumes for domestic consumption at the level of 25 million cubic meter a year. In the long-term perspective, to establish an effective and self-sufficient forest industry in Ukraine, it is necessary to strengthen ban on the export of unprocessed and fuelwood through a number of systematic measures: a) creation of the Ukrainian Export and Credit Agency; b) introduction of the "reasonable import substitution" policy; c) free connection to utilities for the companies; d) introduction of industrial parks with investment incentives for new manufacturing. ; Проблема. Проміжні результати дії повної заборони на вивіз лісу засвідчили очевидні переваги такого рішення для національної економіки та навколишнього середовища. Однак попри наявні здобутки ситуація в лісопромисловому секторі залишається в цілому несприятливою, зокрема через масштабну контрабанду необроблених лісоматеріалів під виглядом паливної деревини. Мета та завдання. Стаття має на меті ідентифікувати й обґрунтувати нормативно-правові та регуляторні заходи державної політики щодо посилення дії мораторію на експорт з України необроблених лісоматеріалів, а також надати прогнозну оцінку макроекономічних ефектів від реалізації відповідних заходів у середньостроковій перспективі. Результати. Недосконале інституційне середовище та високий рівень корупції в митних органах формують сприятливе середовище для масштабної контрабанди лісової сировини, яка підпадає під дію мораторію. Незважаючи на це, засадничо хибними, на думку автора, є висновки щодо неефективності мораторію на експорт необроблених лісоматеріалів як фрагментарного інструменту, який нездатний зупинити неконтрольовану вирубку і вивіз з України лісу. Важливо пам'ятати, що торгівля завжди є двостороннім процесом, тому відповідальність за контрабанду розділяють і ті країни, які імпортують необліковану деревину українського походження. Висновки. Заходи системи регуляторних, нормативно-правових заходів з посилення дії мораторію охоплюють: введення кримінальної відповідальності за переміщення через митний кордон України лісоматеріалів необроблених, заборонених до вивозу за межі митної території України; заборону на вивезення за межі митної території України в митному режимі експорту деревини паливної строком на вісім років; обмеження обсягу внутрішнього споживання вітчизняних лісоматеріалів необроблених на рівні 25 млн. м3 на рік. У довгостроковій перспективі для становлення в Україні ефективного і самодостатнього лісопромислового комплексу необхідно посилити мораторій на експорт лісоматеріалів необроблених та деревини паливної рядом системних заходів: створення Експортно-кредитного агентства; запровадження політики «розумного імпортозаміщення»; забезпечення безкоштовного приєднання підприємств до інженерних мереж; відкриття індустріальних парків з наданням їх резидентам пільгових умов виробничої й інвестиційної діяльності.
32 p ISBN 979-24-4675-3 ; After decades of war, Cambodia is one of the world's poorest nations, its economy and its political life are still suffering from the civil war that racked the country during the latter part of the 20th century. Rice and rubber were traditionally the principal exports of Cambodia, but exports fell sharply after the onset of the civil war, which put most of the rubber plantations out of operation. By the 1990s, however, rubber plantings had been undertaken as part of a national recovery program, and rubber and rice were again being exported. The fishing industry has also somehow been revived, but some food shortages continue. From this period, the largest source of export income has been timber, until the Cambodian government set up a "log export" ban in 1995. With a rather limited national environment supporting the development of an internationally competitive wood processing industry, this industry sector has not benefited from this ban. Wood material exports have continued under a limited processed form, i.e. squared logs and thick boards. Up to now, no development of any wood pulp or chipping industry has been impossible in Cambodia. Additionally, in 2002, any logging activity has been suspended for any forest companies, until the approval of their new forest concessions. Some forest companies which had old logs (harvested before 2001) were still authorized to process them. Further, in 2003, a large portion of the territory (about 24%) was declared as protected area. The industrial growth of the country is now mainly sustained by the garment and tourism sectors. But until now, inadequate transportation hampers the development of national industries, except in some "development pockets". This poor transportation is a major impediment for the development of pulp wood plantations or pulp and chipping industries in Cambodia.
32 p ISBN 979-24-4675-3 ; After decades of war, Cambodia is one of the world's poorest nations, its economy and its political life are still suffering from the civil war that racked the country during the latter part of the 20th century. Rice and rubber were traditionally the principal exports of Cambodia, but exports fell sharply after the onset of the civil war, which put most of the rubber plantations out of operation. By the 1990s, however, rubber plantings had been undertaken as part of a national recovery program, and rubber and rice were again being exported. The fishing industry has also somehow been revived, but some food shortages continue. From this period, the largest source of export income has been timber, until the Cambodian government set up a "log export" ban in 1995. With a rather limited national environment supporting the development of an internationally competitive wood processing industry, this industry sector has not benefited from this ban. Wood material exports have continued under a limited processed form, i.e. squared logs and thick boards. Up to now, no development of any wood pulp or chipping industry has been impossible in Cambodia. Additionally, in 2002, any logging activity has been suspended for any forest companies, until the approval of their new forest concessions. Some forest companies which had old logs (harvested before 2001) were still authorized to process them. Further, in 2003, a large portion of the territory (about 24%) was declared as protected area. The industrial growth of the country is now mainly sustained by the garment and tourism sectors. But until now, inadequate transportation hampers the development of national industries, except in some "development pockets". This poor transportation is a major impediment for the development of pulp wood plantations or pulp and chipping industries in Cambodia.
Capturing economic rent from natural resources, particularly forests, frequently still creates disagreement between the government and businesses. The charges imposed by the government in the forms of reboisation fund (DR) and forest resource provision (PSDH) have been in place for very long time, accepted by all stakeholders, and supported by laws. Government policy regarding compensation for forest stand value (GRNT) creates controvercies. This paper intends to clarify problem of forest charges by returning it to its fundamental theories, e.g. economic theory of natural resouces. Economic rent of forests that are controlled by the government is the right of all Indonesia people. Henece, the government has responsibility for capturing the rent as much as possible in the most efficient way. If the stumpage is too low then it potentially promotes overcutting, whereas if it is too high then it makes forest business less attractive that potentially promotes illegal activities. In forestry, economic rent of forest has a special name, it is stumpage price. There are some difficulties in estimating a competitive stumpage price, wheter the one obtained through a direct competitive auction of standing timber or through calculation of residual price. Partly, the difficulties were generated by the government's own policies that strongly distorted log prices. Log export ban and vertical integration are the two most influential policies in distorting log prices. Actually, the government is able to design and implement a single charge to capture PSDH, DR, and GRNT so that their administration becomes much simpler and more efficient.
