Assessing the Effects on Forests of Proposed Trade Liberalization in the Forest Product Sector

The Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) asserts that trade liberalization in forest products, specifically through WTO tariff reductions and APEC non-tariff measure reviews, can intensify forest loss, degradation, and the introduction of alien species. CIEL argues that current international and national forest protection frameworks are inadequate to ensure sustainable trade. The document criticizes the USTR/CEQ review process as inadequate in duration and scope, urging the U.S. government to adopt formal environmental assessment procedures based on the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and to promote forest protection measures in tandem with trade liberalization.

• Trade in forest products can cause significant environmental damage by stimulating increased production rates, facilitating the introduction of alien species, and requiring infrastructure like roads that often lead to forest conversion for agriculture.
• Trade liberalization policies, such as the WTO proposal to reduce tariffs to zero and APEC's removal of non-tariff measures, may increase global consumption and production, thereby worsening forest degradation.
• The application of WTO and GATT rules can interfere with national conservation laws, particularly regarding the use of production or processing methods (PPMs) for certification and labeling, and the implementation of sanitary and phytosanitary measures.
• Current international and national forest frameworks are insufficient to ensure sustainable trade due to market failures (such as ignoring carbon sequestration), faulty government policies (like subsidies), and institutional weaknesses.
• The USTR/CEQ environmental review process is deemed inadequate because its duration is too short, public participation is limited, and it focuses too narrowly on tariff reductions while ignoring cumulative effects from APEC initiatives.

APA

Downes, D. R. (n.d.). Assessing the Effects on Forests of Proposed Trade Liberalization in the Forest Product Sector. Center for International Environmental Law. https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/AssesingForestsTradeLiberalization.pdf

Chicago

Downes, David R. Assessing the Effects on Forests of Proposed Trade Liberalization in the Forest Product Sector. Center for International Environmental Law, n.d. https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/AssesingForestsTradeLiberalization.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Downes |first1=David R. |title=Assessing the Effects on Forests of Proposed Trade Liberalization in the Forest Product Sector |publisher=Center for International Environmental Law |url=https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/AssesingForestsTradeLiberalization.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{downesndassessing, author = {Downes, David R.}, title = {{Assessing the Effects on Forests of Proposed Trade Liberalization in the Forest Product Sector}}, publisher = {Center for International Environmental Law}, url = {https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/AssesingForestsTradeLiberalization.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }