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A briefing by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) and the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) arguing against lifting the CITES trade suspension for Pterocarpus erinaceus (rosewood) in West and Central Africa, citing ongoing illegal trafficking and the risk of setting a dangerous precedent through 'special authorizations' and inadequate Non-Detriment Findings.

The 2022 Forest Declaration Assessment Theme 4 report evaluates global forest governance systems and their capacity to halt and reverse forest loss and land degradation by 2030. It finds that while some countries have implemented effective legal tools like moratoria and inclusive policies, overall progress is insufficient, with persistent issues including widespread corruption, tenure insecurity for Indigenous Peoples and local communities, and the rollback of environmental protections in several major tropical forest nations.

This fact sheet evaluates progress toward Goal 10 of the New York Declaration on Forests (NYDF), which focuses on strengthening forest governance, transparency, and the rule of law while empowering Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs). The document reports that while some legal frameworks and demand-side regulations have improved, overall progress is too slow to measurably reduce deforestation, with illegal deforestation increasing from 49% to 69% over a seven-year period.

A statement signed by 45 organizations and individuals, including the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL), condemning the dismissal of the Executive Director of Peru's forest authority, SERFOR, by the Ministry of Agriculture.

This briefing, produced by the NYDF Assessment Partners, Chatham House, and Climate Focus, evaluates progress in forest governance across nine tropical forest countries. It examines twelve indicators across five governance areas—legal and institutional frameworks, tenure and resource allocation, demand-side measures, transparency, and the rule of law—to assess how these nations are working toward Goal 10 of the New York Declaration on Forests (NYDF). While some countries have improved their legal frameworks and transparency through international partnerships, the report highlights systemic weaknesses in the rule of law, a lack of cross-sectoral policy coherence, and persistent challenges in securing land tenure for local communities.

The report "Authorized to Steal" by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) investigates how organized crime networks in Peru use official documentation to launder illegally harvested timber from the Amazon. Analyzing 1,024 Forest Transport Permits (GTFs) from 2017, the report details the collusion between forestry regents, public officials, and private businesspeople to bypass regulations, specifically in the Loreto and Ucayali regions.

This executive summary evaluates progress toward Goal 10 of the New York Declaration on Forests (NYDF), which focuses on strengthening forest governance, transparency, and the rule of law while empowering indigenous peoples and local communities. The report finds that while some progress has been made in transparency and law enforcement, improvements are too slow to measurably reduce deforestation, and significant challenges remain regarding corruption, illegal logging, and the violation of land rights.

This executive summary evaluates progress toward Goal 10 of the New York Declaration on Forests (NYDF), focusing on forest governance, the rule of law, and the rights of indigenous peoples and local communities. It concludes that while some progress has been made in transparency and law enforcement, improvements are too slow to quantifiably reduce deforestation, with significant gaps remaining in land rights and the protection of environmental defenders.

This report summarizes progress toward Goal 10 of the New York Declaration on Forests, which focuses on strengthening forest governance, transparency, and the rule of law, while empowering indigenous peoples and local communities. It details developments in producer and consumer countries regarding illegal timber trade, the rising violence against environmental defenders, and the status of financial resources and data collection for land tenure security.

This report by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) investigates the systemic use of official documents to mask the illegal origin of timber exported from the Peruvian Amazon in 2015. By analyzing 855 inspection reports and 2,364 Forest Transport Guides (GTF), the study reveals that exporters frequently exploit gaps in supervision and target markets with weak legality regulations to move high-risk timber.

This report by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) analyzes the systemic use of official documentation to launder illegal timber from the Peruvian Amazon for international export. By reviewing 865 Visual Inspection Certificates and 2,364 Forest Transport Permits (GTFs) from 2015, CIEL identifies patterns where exporters exploit gaps in supervision and transparency tools to bypass legality controls, particularly when exporting to markets with weak due diligence requirements.

This technical annex assesses progress toward Goal 10 of the New York Declaration on Forests, which focuses on strengthening forest governance, transparency, the rule of law, and the rights of indigenous peoples and local communities (IPLCs). The report utilizes three primary indicators: the strength of institutions and policies in producer and consumer countries, the prevalence of illegal logging and related violence, and the formal recognition of land and forest rights for IPLCs.

A statement by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) and partners criticizing the CITES permit system for failing to prevent the illegal export of Afrormosia timber from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), noting that 2015 export quotas remain high despite insufficient inventory data and widespread reports of falsified permits.

A briefing by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) and other NGOs criticizing the decision by CITES to remove Afrormosia (Pericopsis elata) from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) from the Review of Significant Trade. The document argues that the DRC has failed to implement sustainable management practices, continues to engage in widespread illegal logging, and has provided an insufficient non-detriment finding (NDF) to justify its export quotas.

This research paper analyzes the compatibility of the Australian Government's Illegal Logging Prohibition Bill with World Trade Organization (WTO) rules. It examines the bill's proposals to ban illegally logged timber imports and domestic processing, while requiring due diligence from importers and processors. The authors conclude that the legislation is likely WTO-compatible provided it is implemented non-discriminatorily and does not afford protection to domestic products.

This policy briefing examines the tropical timber trade from the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to and through Uganda into the wider East African region. It highlights the challenges of regulating a trade characterized by informal operators and middlemen, and provides recommendations for improving regional coordination, domestic regulation in Uganda, and the use of existing platforms like the ICGLR and the Albertine Rift Strategic Planning Process to promote sustainable development.

This policy briefing examines the governance challenges facing the forestry sector in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) following a review of logging titles between 2006 and 2010. It highlights systemic issues including corruption, institutional incapacity, and a significant gap between legal policy and practical implementation, particularly regarding the involvement of local communities.

This 2010 report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development examines how trade facilitation measures at multilateral, regional, and subregional levels impact the illegal wildlife and timber trade in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS). It analyzes the tension between economic growth driven by infrastructure and trade ease and the resulting depletion of biodiversity, providing recommendations for policymakers to mitigate environmental risks.

This report documents a validation workshop held on October 21, 2008, in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, regarding the status of environmental crime in the country. The workshop was part of the Environmental Crime Project (ECP), implemented by the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) in partnership with the Eastern Africa Police Chiefs Cooperation Organization (EAPCCO). The document outlines the current environmental legal framework, identifies critical gaps in existing research, details specific types of environmental crimes affecting Tanzania, and provides recommendations for improving enforcement and inter-agency coordination.

A speech delivered by Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda, Minister of Internal Affairs, at the launch of the EAPCCO-ISS Environmental Crime Project in Entebbe on July 30-31, 2008. The address outlines the scale of environmental crime in East Africa and the objectives of a new regional partnership to strengthen law enforcement capacity.