Regional Policy Learning
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ASEAN Regional Knowledge Network on Forest Law Enforcement and Governance (FLEG)
Forest Law Enforcement and Governance (FLEG), as one of the underlying principles of sustainable forest management (SFM) has been put high on the agenda of the ASEAN cooperation in forestry. The issuance of the ASEAN Ministerial Statement on FLEG in November 2007 reaffirmed ASEAN's commitment to improve forest governance in the region.
ASEAN cooperation on strengthening FLEG received further boost through the issuance of the ASEAN Declaration on Environmental Sustainability by the 13th ASEAN Summit. Under this Declaration, ASEAN Member States are committed "to strengthening law enforcement, combating illegal logging and its associated illegal trade as necessary measures in addressing trans-boundary environmental pollution, including haze pollution".
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ASEAN Regional Knowledge Network on Forests and Climate Change (FCC)
Deforestation is by far the largest contributor to greenhouse gas emission in developing countries. According to the Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), land conversion and deforestation in developing countries emits around 1.7 billion tonnes of carbon annually - the fourth highest cause of global emissions.
In respond to forests and climate change issues, the ASEAN Leaders at their 13th Summit held on November 2007 in Singapore signed the "ASEAN Declaration on Environmental Sustainability" which calls, among others, to work closely with the international community to better understand and the adverse impacts of climate change, including the related issues of greenhouse gas emissions and carbon sinks in particular. The ASEAN Leaders agreed "to collectively work towards achieving an aspirational goal of significantly increasing the cumulative forest cover in the ASEAN region by at least 10 million hectares by 2020", as well as to develop an ASEAN Climate Change Initiative. -
Peer Consultation Framework (PCF)
The ASEAN PCF in Forestry is a tool for regional learning based on mutual trust and commitment to shared principles by ASEAN national forestry agencies through the ASEAN's ASOF mechanism. The ASEAN rational of „prosper thy neighbors" will help to improve Member Countries‘ policy making, adopt and adapt good practices to national circumstances, and enhances progressive compliance with internationally agreed forest principles. It is consistent with the ASEAN Vision 2020 and the Vientiane Action Programme (VAP), 2004-2010 and the Strategic Plan of Action (SPA) for the ASEAN Cooperation in Forestry, 2005-2010. Specifically, the ASEAN PCF in Forestry is intended to help raise the profile of forest policy issues and promote the identification and dissemination of good practices in sustainable forest management (SFM) in the ASEAN region.
