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The report argues that 'sustainable' and 'legal' timber policies in producer and consumer countries are often rudimentary technical responses that fail to address systemic governance flaws, corruption, and human rights violations. In Malaysia, the report highlights a lack of transparency in logging license awards and systemic violations of indigenous customary land rights. In Japan, South Korea, and Australia, the report identifies weaknesses in procurement frameworks, such as a reliance on exporter-provided paperwork and a failure to reduce overall tropical timber consumption. It concludes that without fundamental governance reforms and a reduction in consumption, certification schemes and procurement guidelines remain insufficient to prevent deforestation and social injustice.