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The study finds that U.S. imports of illegal wood declined by 32% to 44% since the 2008 Lacey Act amendments, with China accounting for two-thirds of this reduction. While the law contributed to this decline, it has not eliminated illegal imports, which were estimated at $2.8 billion in 2013. The report highlights that the reduction was driven more by U.S. buyers avoiding high-risk products and countries rather than discriminating between legal and illegal wood within the same product category.

The report analyzes a survey of 230 manufacturing companies across 16 Chinese provinces to evaluate how businesses interact with low-carbon and energy policies. It finds that while flagship programs like carbon-trading pilots have significant reach, there is a critical lack of policy awareness and technical capacity, particularly among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Major barriers to implementation include uncertainty regarding technology, lack of capital, and high administrative burdens caused by overlapping government jurisdictions. The document recommends streamlining administrative procedures, increasing transparency in carbon quota allocations, and lowering participation thresholds for subsidies to better include smaller firms.