FSC Forest Carbon Working Group
The ‘Forest Carbon Working Group’ acts to advise the FSC Board of Directors and FSC membership with respect to all matters related to the formal engagement of FSC in climate change, greenhouse gas accounting, and forest-based carbon programs, projects and standards.
Establishment
At the 2008 General Assembly, exploration of FSC’s potential engagement in forest-based carbon initiatives and frameworks was requested by means of a sub-chamber balanced working group.
A first call for applications, along with draft “Terms of Reference and Rules of Procedure”, was released on May 20, 2009. The size of the working group was set to twelve, allowing two members from each sub-chamber to participate.
Terms of Reference for FCWG (pdf)
At their 51st meeting, 1-3 July 2009, the FSC Board of Directors approved the selection of 12 candidates (1 per subchamber).
Advisors to the FCWG
Further to the Working Group, an Advisory Group has been set up, consisting of experts that can provide technical, scientific and strategic input on issues under examination of the FCWG.
Terms of Reference for Advisory Group
List of Advisory Group members to the FSC Forest Carbon Working Group
Meetings, Issue Paper and Final Report
The FCWG hold altogether five 3-day meetings between September 2009 and January 2011.
In November 2010, the FCWG released an issue paper for the FSC membership on the preliminary outcomes of its discussions :
FSC FCWG Issue paper "Forest carbon: Between Stewardship, Accountability and Commoditisation"
The FCWG submitted their final report with recommendations for a strategic framework for an FSC climate change engagement to the FSC Board of Directors in March 2011.
At their 56th meeting, 30 March to 1 April 2011, the Board of Directors approved the report and the corresponding recommendations. With the submission of their report to the FSC Board, the term of the FCWG has formally ended.
