Trade in Forest Goods and Services: The Role of Environmental and Trade Laws in Promoting Sustainability in the Forestry Sector
Trade in Forest Goods and Services: The Role of Environmental and Trade Laws in Promoting Sustainability in the Forestry Sector
World’s forested areas are declining at an alarming rate due to weak governance and forest laws enforcement. The economic value of global illegal logging is estimated to be worth 30 to100 billion per year (Shin, Miah, & Lee, 2008). Businesses dealing with forestry products and services fear being undermined by laws designed to protect forest resources (Leon, Uberhuaga, Benavides, & Andersson, 2012; Oyono, Biyong, & Samba, 2012). In addition, the activities of illegal operators pose a challenge to the entire forestry sector since their products are cheaper (Aruna, Cubbage, Lee, & Redmond, 1997). A recent study indicates that if exports associated with illegal harvested logs were phased out by 2007, the price of forestry products would increase by 19 percent (Popa & Borz, 2014). Forest ecosystems make important contributions to sustainable development through the provision of goods and services, which are sound environmentally (Glasmeier & Farrigan, 2005; Henderson & Munn, 2013). There is a need to balance between the consumption of forest products and afforestation to ensure sustainability in the industry (Aggarwal, 2014). Evidently, forestry is a sensitive industry that requires strict regulation to protect the sector for sustainability (Cashore & Auld, 2003). Therefore, this study is important, as trade in sustainable forestry products can be an important driver in the transition to a greener economy (Nichiforel & Schanz, 2011; Williams & Kinard, 2003).
Research Paper Outline
1.0 Introduction
1.1 Background
1.2 Problem Statement
1.3 Aim and Objectives of the Study
2.0 Literature Review
2.1 The contribution of Forestry Sector to Green Economy
2.2 Goods and Services in the Forestry Industry
2.2.1 Export of wood and wood-based products
2.2.2 Export of sustainable or certified non-timber products
2.2.3 Export of agro forestry commodities
2.2.4 The provision of forest recreation and tourism services
2.3 Environment and trade Laws
2.4 Impact of Regulatory Framework
2.4.1 Impact on the Legal Businesses
2.4.2 Impact on the prices of Forest Goods and Services
2.5 Trend, Challenges, and Opportunities
2.5.1 Trend
2.5.2 Challenges
2.5.3 Opportunities
2.6 Possible Regulatory Changes
3.0 Conclusion
4.0 Recommendation
References
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