Diploma Thesis from the year 2011 in the subject Politics - Environmental Policy, grade: 1,0, University of Potsdam (Lehrstuhl für Internationale Politik), language: English, abstract: The problem of deforestation and forest degradation is currently highly prominent on the international agenda. In September 2001, the East Asia Ministerial Conference on Forest Law Enforcement and Governance (FLEG) took place in Bali, Indonesia and adopted the Bali Declaration. The participating countries committed themselves to strengthen their efforts in combating illegal logging and other forest crimes. In June 2010 the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) published a review of FLEG progress in Asia and the Pacific, keeping the issue a priority in global environmental governance. Although the region of Southeast Asia accommodates only 5% of the world’s forests, it accounts for nearly 25% of the global forest loss over the past decade, whereas illegal logging is the major cause (World Bank 2010). Therefore this region is closely watched by the international community regarding progress towards sustainable forest management (SFM). The practice of illegal logging leads to an estimated annual loss of US$ 15 billion in developing countries. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) recognizes the importance of FLEG as a way to hinder these huge economic losses as well as the environmental and social consequences. The improvement of the region’s reputation and competitiveness in the international market is a pivotal goal. Yet, deforestation and forest degradation remains an intensifying problem in the region. Traditional forms of state-led global environmental governance seem to fail achieving effective progress in governing the sensitive issue of forestry, where trade, environment as well as social values intersect. Due to the inadequate action of states, private forest certification schemes have emerged as a powerful and prominent type of non-state global environmental governance. This development led scholars and practitioners to consider non-state or private governance as a potential alternative solution for global forest governance. The aim of this thesis is to systematically assess the chances and limits of transnational private forest governance in ASEAN. The overall intention in writing this paper is to contribute to our understanding of private and public governance and their collaboration. Therefore the central research question of this paper is whether and under what conditions private sector involvement can increase forest governance in ASEAN.

First Published in 2007. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

'This book carefully blends conceptual insights with extensive empirical evidence to navigate the reader through an issue that is still poorly understood [and is] a valuable reference for the development practitioner to understand the fundamental causes of illegal logging, its myriad consequences and the policy choices available to address the problem' Nalin Kishor, Forest Law Enforcement and Governance Coordinator, The World Bank 'An excellent resource for those working to conserve and sustainably manage forests worldwide. It offers an extensive and comprehensive study of illegal logging, bringing together the knowledge and views of experts who examine its roots and social, economic and environmental implications. One of its important contributions is to show that, unless coupled with reform of forestry regulations to take into account local people, law enforcement to curb illegal logging can negatively impact them. Therefore, any effective and fair approach to the problem needs to involve governments, forestry operators and local communities alike' Gonzalo Oviedo, Senior Social Policy Advisor, IUCN In many countries illegal logging now accounts for a large share of the harvest. Once cut, illegal logs feed an insatiable demand for exotic hardwoods in developed and developing countries. The result has been loss of both revenue and biodiversity, and consequently the issue has risen to the top of the global forest policy agenda as one of the major threats to forests, and donors and national governments are starting to develop initiatives to control illegal logging. Yet for such a massive illegal trade, there is surprisingly limited knowledge available as to the major causes of illegal logging and its impacts on biodiversity, people and livelihoods and national economies, and thus plenty of speculation and action without evidence. It is clear that while illegal logging does have negative impacts, it also, controversially, and perhaps paradoxically, benefits many stakeholders, including local communities. This book, written by the world's foremost experts, examines the key issues including law and enforcement, supply and demand, corruption, forest certification, poverty, local livelihoods, international trade and biodiversity conservation. It includes key case studies from forest-rich hotspots in North, South and Central America, equatorial Africa and Indonesia. While there are clearly no easy answers, this book sorts fact from fiction and explores the many dimensions of the causes, impacts and implications for forests, people, livelihoods and forest policy. Published with CIFOR