Forest certification in China:
special features and issues
Chatham House Illegal Logging Update Meeting
16-17 June 2014
Background
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China started engaging in forest
certification in the late 1990s/ early 2000s:
A desire to improve national forest
management as a result of the catastrophic
floods in 1998
• The rise of responsible sourcing policies in
EU and US markets (later legislative
requirements)
• To improve its image and position in the
global market, and preparation for the entry
into WTO in 2001
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FSC in China
First CoC was issued in 1999
• First FM was issued in 2000
• FSC National Initiative was set up in 2007
• FSC China Standard Development Group
(SDG) registered in December 2013, plan
to finalise in 2015
• As of May 2014:
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FM: 62 certificates
• CoC: 3,507certificates (mainland China);
609 certificates (Hong Kong)
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PEFC in China
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Chinese Academy of Forestry (CAF) set up a
Standard Development Group to draft standards
Forest management and CoC standards were
published in 2007
China Forest Certification Council (CFCC) was
officially established in 2010
CFCC decided to amend the standards with the
objective to apply for PEFC endorsement
China Forest Certification Scheme (CFCS) was
endorsed by PEFC in February 2014
As of May 2014, there are 200 CoC certificates
Special features (1/3)
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The role of government
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Division of Forest Certification was incorporated
into the State Forest Administration (SFA) in
2001
The State Council on Accelerating Forestry
Development clearly put forward the
requirement to “actively conduct the work of
forest certification and bring it in line with the
international practices as soon as possible”
CAF, a research arm of SFA, was responsible
for drafting standards
Chinese delegation to the EU to learn about
FSC and PEFC in 2005
Special features (2/3)
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Requirements for certification bodies (CBs)
All CBs operating in China have to be
registered as Chinese organisations and
approved by the Certification and
Accreditation Administration (CNCA) before
they can apply for accreditation from China
National Accreditation Service (CNAS) for
Conformity Assessment
• So CBs are either working as subcontractors
or have established joint venture companies
with Chinese partners
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Special features (3/3)
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PEFC:
Only one Chinese CB approved for CFCS
certification: Zhonglin Tianhe Certification Body
• Other international CBs: BV, SGS, SAI Global
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FSC:
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CBs operating: BV, DNV, IMO, QMI-SAI Global,
Rainforest Alliance, SCS, SGS, Soil Association
(SA), TUV Rheinland, TUV Sud
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RA, SA and SCS subcontracted local CBs to carry
out certification audits
Issues (1/2)
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Limited supplies of certified materials
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Only FSC certified forests available in China
(3.4 million ha), majority of CoC certificate
holders rely on import of certified materials
Lack of local capacity in certification bodies
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Concerns about the competence of local
auditors
ASI has undertaken over 50 audits in China in
the last few years on CBs, which have led to
suspensions and some high profile forest and
CoC certificates being withdrawn
Issues (2/2)
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Misuse of trademarks
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E.g non FSC hardwood plywood was
labelled with FSC logo
Uncertainties due to changing rules
imposed by the government*
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Requirements are frequently introduced,
difficult for international CBs to assess the
risk involved in investing capital
Observations/remarks
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With the endorsement of CFCS by PEFC,
the dynamic between FSC and PEFC may
change
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Number of local accredited CBs
Areas of forests certified by FSC and PEFC
Number of CoC certificates issued by FSC and
PEFC
Some welcome the endorsement, some
have concerns about the interpretations of
land conversion, community rights and
HCVs
Observations/remarks
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Government involvement to retain ultimate
power and authority over certification
activities and regulation interpretation*
Localise the system: CBs and auditors
• Does not require adherence to certification,
but does have the intention to have
nationwide certification -> may become a
mandatory requirement
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Increase the area of certified forests (which
schemes?)
Thank you for your attention
*Acknowledgement: Forest certification with Chinese characteristics: state engagement with non-state
market-driven governance; Kathleen Buckingham & Paul Jepson