What is FSC certificate?

2020-05-28

FSC includes Forest Management and Chain of Custody.

is a tool for using market mechanisms to promote sustainable forest management and achieve ecological, social and economic goals.

Forest Management

Forest Management certification, also known as sustainable forest management certification or FSC forest certification, it is in view of the forest management unit, by an independent third party set by the FSC forest certification bodies according to forest management standards, in accordance with the generally accepted principles and standards, performance review on forest management and to prove its claim to achieve sustainable management process.

Chain of Custody

Chain of Custody is the identification of all production links of wood processing enterprises, including the entire chain from the transportation, processing and circulation of logs, to ensure that the final products originate from certified well-managed forests. After passing the certification, the enterprise has the right to indicate the name and trademark of the certification system on its products, that is, the forest product certification label.

In the past 20 years, the deforestation and mismanagement of forests by human beings have led to the large-scale decline of forests, resulting in the global shortage of forest resources, the worsening of ecological environment, and the serious threat to the space on which human beings live. It is widely believed that the root causes of forest problems are policy failures, market failures and inadequate institutions. The international community, governments and non-governmental environmental protection organizations have expressed great concern and taken a series of actions.

FSC certificate is unique in that it is market-based and operates on the basis of trade and international markets.

Development History

FSC certificate is realized by environmental ngos and private group in some countries in improving forest management policy mistakes, international intergovernmental organizations solve the problem of forest effect is limited, can't prove its products from the forest and forest products trade, as a market mechanism to promote sustainable forest management, initiated in the early 1990 s and gradually developed. It seeks to link "green consumers" with producers seeking to improve forest operations and expand market share in order to achieve higher returns by conducting independent assessments of forest operations. Traditional approaches to promoting sustainable forest management (such as development assistance, soft loans, technical assistance and overseas training) have largely neglected the business sector, especially international trade in wood products. Worldwide, only 20 per cent of forest products enter international markets, but the direct impact of trade on forests is clear. It is recognized that trade in forest products based on sustainable forest management can also promote environmental protection.

Before 1992, non-governmental organizations had certification ideas, but no progress was made at the United Nations conference on environment and development. After unced, they began to push hard for this new system. To monitor the independence and openness of certification, the forest stewardship council (FSC) was established in 1993 by non-governmental conservation organizations. In 1994, the FSC adopted principles and standards, and began to authorize certification agencies to conduct FSC forest certification according to these principles and standards. Some countries and regions have also started their own certification process. Since then, FSC forest certification has been gradually carried out worldwide.

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