China to expand scope of forest certification into broader range of sustainability issues

24 July 2014 News

Bill Street, Chairman and Ben Gunneberg, Secretary General and CEO of PEFC International met with representatives of the Chinese Forest Certification Council (CFCC) today in Beijing following the recent endorsement of the China Forest Certification Scheme (CFCS) by PEFC, the world's largest forest certification system.

"The adoption of PEFC by CFCC is driving the integration of sustainable forest management criteria into a broader range of sustainability issues including bamboo, non-wood forest products, fire management, carbon storage and water and fauna certification, which is an exciting development from a sustainability point of view,” Mr. Street stated.

Ben Gunneberg commented positively on the fact that CFCC, as now part of the PEFC endorsed family of certification systems, is developing best practice through 30 pilot projects, the lessons of which will be expanded to all forest management units in China, encompassing all three areas of sustainable forest management.

He added that it was encouraging to see that four certification bodies have now been approved and are legally registered, and that only these four now meet all the criteria and requirements of Chinese law concerning forest certification.