Summary of events

The annual European Sustainable Tropical Timber Coalition (STTC) Conference, Thursday November 18 2021, Online

The European timber sector requires a combination of actions to combat illegal tropical timber trade and deforestation and to ensure sustainability. These actions would lead to strengthened cooperation and partnership between the public and the private sector, and demand and supply-side stakeholders. Further demand-side legislation is needed to ensure that EU commodity supply chains are deforestation-free and that EU consumption is transparently sustainable.

The 6th annual European Sustainable Tropical Timber Coalition (STTC) Conference, Wednesday November 20 2019, Berlin (Germany)

The European timber sector has focused on both ensuring its sources of supply are legal and on growing market share for verified sustainable tropical wood. The Sustainable Tropical Timber Coalition 2019 Conference looks at how these dual efforts can interrelate to increase verified sustainable timber supply and demand and how STTC tools can support the process.

Reliable data is today the key to unlocking market share in any business, and the market for verified sustainable timber is no exception. That is the stepping off point for this year’s annual European Sustainable Tropical Timber Coalition Conference in Paris on October 25, which is why it takes market intelligence, its collection and analysis as its core theme.

More information and registration on europeansttc.com

For too long the European tropical timber trade has been on the defensive. An automatic link has been forged in consumers’ and specifiers’ minds between tropical timber, illegal logging and deforestation in many countries. This has combined with lack of awareness of the availability of sustainably sourced timber from well-managed tropical forests and the overall result is that the reputation and market success of all tropical timber has suffered.

The 2016 European Sustainable Tropical Timber Coalition (STTC) Conference is your opportunity to discuss challenges, share knowledge and best practice with colleagues from across Europe on successfully implementing and satisfying timber purchasing policies. It is also the event to network with buyers and suppliers of sustainably sourced timber.

Timber purchasing policies and strategies support forest conservation worldwide and the STTC Conference explores their achievements so far and future potential with key stakeholders from public and private sectors. The full-day event also offers learning and networking opportunities, with interactive plenaries and breakout sessions.

This global celebration of forests provides a platform to raise awareness of the importance of all types of forests and of trees outside forests. Forests cover one third of the Earth's land mass, performing vital functions around the world. Around 1.6 billion people - including more than 2,000 indigenous cultures - depend on forests for their livelihood. Forests are the most biologically-diverse ecosystems on land, home to more than 80% of the terrestrial species of animals, plants and insects. They also provide shelter, jobs and security for forest-dependent communities.

More information: www.un.org/en/events/forestsday/