Deforestation in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia. Jurnasyanto Sukarno / Greenpeace
Schemes that certify wood or paper as sustainable are doing little to stem the loss of forests globally, a study finds.
Under these programs, auditors assess forests, applying a stamp of approval to those that meet strict standards for sustainability. Their aim is to spur companies to source timber products only from certified areas, which comprise roughly 10 percent of forests globally.
But the schemes are voluntary, run not by governments but by independent groups such as the Forest Stewardship Council. And according to a study published in Communications Sustainability, they are doing little to help the cause of protecting forests.
Between 2013 and 2023, the world lost at least 50 million acres of forest each year, an area roughly the size of Nebraska, according to an analysis of satellite imagery. Some forests were lost to fire, others deliberately cleared by loggers, farmers, or developers. What is striking, the study showed, is that countries with more certified acres saw no less clearing of forest overall.
This may be because certification is not halting the destruction of forest but displacing it, intensifying losses in uncertified areas. However, that does not mean certification schemes are without use, authors say. Rather, they argue that countries cannot rely on certification alone. Governments must also expand protected areas and title Indigenous lands to better preserve forests.
