Statement by Monika Patel, Director of Programs and Communications, FSC Canada:
You may have seen the news this week that Greenpeace International has decided to change its role in the Forest Stewardship Council.
Following its restructuring three years ago to decentralize the organization, Greenpeace International has decided to decentralize its membership in the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) as well. As a result, Greenpeace International will allow its FSC membership to expire in 2018, with its national offices determining if and how to best engage with FSC and forest management more broadly.
Because the issues affecting forests are very different around the world, this new structure gives Greenpeace’s national offices the flexibility to choose strategies that best fit the situations in their respective countries.
In a recent statement by Shane Moffatt, Head of Forest at Greenpeace Canada the states that “Greenpeace Canada will continue to remain a member of FSC Canada and monitor the performance of FSC on the ground. We also continue to believe that companies in Canada should pursue FSC certification in the forests where they operate. This provides an opportunity to secure marketplace recognition for responsible operations in the Canadian Boreal. In addition, the FSC serves as a platform for multi-stakeholder dialogue which is critical to resolving issues in Canada such as the logging of caribou habitat and respecting the rights of Indigenous Peoples.”
Greenpeace Canada and Greenpeace USA remain strongly supportive of FSC as a powerful tool for encouraging responsible forest management, and for engaging with companies and consumers. They will both continue to engage as international members of FSC. In addition, Greenpeace Canada will remain actively involved in efforts to implement protections for Indigenous Peoples’ rights and critical caribou habitat. And Greenpeace US’ Rolf Skar will continue to serve on the FSC US Board of Directors.
This change notwithstanding, neither Greenpeace International nor any Greenpeace national entities are members of, nor endorse, any other forest management certification globally.
For more information, you can find a statement by Greenpeace Canada here.