African Sub-Regional Conference on Independent Forest Monitoring

10th -11th May, 2017Accra

Opportunities in FLEGT for Independent Forest Monitoring and Governance Monitoring

Chris BeekoDirector, TVD

Forestry Commission

Outline

• Independent Forest Monitoring (IFM) in Perspective & Provisions in the FLEGT-VPA

• Snapshot of the Forest Sector Governance Environment

• Opportunities for Civil Society Organisations (CSOs)/Forest Communities

• IFM Challenges – some thoughts

• Conclusion

Independent Monitoring in Perspective

• Independent Monitoring • Third party monitoring of the regulatory regimes with stringent terms of

reference, reporting lines and conformance to industry norms in auditing

• External Monitoring/Community/CSO Monitoring• Less formal rules and reporting lines. Done to promote transparency and

accountability of the regulatory regime

Provisions in the VPA - Article 10

• Assess the implementation of effectiveness of the LAS

• Investigate the relevant works of the Forestry Authority at all the levels of the Forest, industry and supply chain

• Assess document failures

• Assess the effectiveness of corrective actions undertaken

• Assess the completeness and accuracy of published FLEGT relevant production and trade statistics

• Report findings etc.

Provisions in the VPA - Article 16

• Ghana will promote appropriate strategies, modalities and programmes in consultation with relevant stakeholders

• Encourage stakeholder consultation in the implementation of this agreement

The Construct of the VPA

TLAS

Legality Defn.

Licensing Scheme/Au

thority

Verification Sys.

Independent Monitor

CoC (WTS)

• Developed in a sound Governance Environment

• Delivered through structured and verifiable systems

• Credibility enhanced through Independent Monitoring arrangements

FLEGT Licenses

The Layers/Entry Points of Forest Monitoring Under FLEGT: Ghana’s Emerging Experience

Verification & Validation of implementation of Operational Procedures + Divisional Outputs against Legal Standard – Internal Audit Functions

1

TVD(Timber Validation Department)

• Verifies completeness and Validates listed criteria of Legality Requirements (Legality Definition)

Requirement under bilateral agreement -VPA

External Mechanism that aims to evaluate entire control system

2

IM TVC

• Independent Monitoring of GhLAS

• Performed under defined guidelines and under contract

• Complaints & dispute resolution

External Monitoring 3

• Performed to lend credibility to the system

• Normally done under no formal contract and reporting lines

CSOs & Communities

A sector in Governance Transition – opportunities abound

A Snapshot of the Ghana Forest Governance Environment

• Routinized multi-stakeholder deliberative platforms✓VPA – Multi-Stakeholder Implementation Committee✓VPA – Ad hoc Fora to deliberate on new policies e.g. Domestic Market

Reforms✓REDD+ - National Working Group etc.✓Forest Forum – District & Regional

• Participation of CSOs in Legality Verification Audits

• Participation of communities in development of Management Plans & other management activities

• Legislative backing (soon to be) for accessing forest management information

Governance Environment - Access to Forest Resource Management Information

• a list of pre-registered timber companies

• a list of companies with valid property marks

• a list of large scale timber utilisation contracts

• a list of small scale timber utilization contracts

• a list of salvage permits including the names of their holders, location, size, duration, required payments under social responsibility agreements, salvage permit inspection reports including a description of planned development justifying salvage and state of payment of fees and taxes

• a list of certificates of purchase including the names of their holders, date of public sale, quantity and price of timber acquired

Opportunities for CSOs & Forest Communities

Routinized multi-stakeholder deliberative platforms

• Opening up of the policy making process and the shaping of forest policy and governance

• Opportunity to contribute to and monitor progress in the implementation of governance reforms

• Capacity to compete with State Actors for development assistance/funds

• Opportunities to continuously improve upon capacity

Participation of CSOs in Legality Verification Audits

• Professional standards

• Confidentiality

• Conflicts of Interest

• General code of conduct for participation in the evaluation(s)

Public Access to Information

• Creation of Public Information Portals

✓ FLEGT Licenses issued

✓ Quarterly TVD summarized audit records

✓ Quarterly TVD complaints records

✓ Annual records of timber rights fees

• Improved opportunities for holding public office holders accountable

• Opportunities to monitor progress in sustainable forest management

Field Observation & Reporting by Fringe Communities

• An emerging area where communities receive training to be able to observe, detect and report illegalities to certain portals or authorities• Not built in the formal

management and regulatory mechanism

REDD+ Governance (Implementation Phase)

• Hotspot Intervention Area (HIA) consortiums are being set-up withthe CREMA models in mind to fully integrate non-state actors intoREDD+ Implementation and NRM

• HIA consortiums would play a key role in Safeguards Implementation,Participatory Monitoring, Measuring, Reporting and Verification ofCarbon stocks and Safeguards for both national and internationalaccounting purposes

• HIA consortiums would also be actively engaged in the assessment ofactors and beneficiaries of all envisaged REDD+ carbon and non-carbon benefits to enhance inclusiveness, transparency andaccountability.

The Challenges of Independent/CSO Monitoring

• Given their known roles as advocates, CSOs may require some time to convincingly fill the niche of independent (external) monitors

• Sustainability of independent monitoring is still up for debate• Development partners remain sole source of funding

• IFM still remain, largely, a supply led initiative rather than being demand driven

Conclusion

• IFM offers approaches for assessing and strengthening legal compliance inthe forest sector• complementing official forest law enforcement with the objectivity and public

credibility of an independent third party,

• Improving transparency in the short term while contributing to thedevelopment of a sound legislative and regulatory framework forresponsible forest management

• Strengthening of the foundations for sustainable forest management

• Improving access to markets for timber from VPA Partner Countries

• Growth in capacity of external forest monitors (communities) presentfurther opportunities in geographical coverage while lowering cost

• FLEGT – VPAs presents the environment & opportunity to nurture IFM

cabeeko@yahoo.com

THANK YOU