New study confirms FSC certification contributes to maintaining and increasing forest cover

A new study in The Journal of Cleaner Production confirms that FSC certification contributes to maintaining and increasing forest cover, especially in lower-middle income countries. These findings reinforce the conclusions of previous research and provide insights on adapting regional certification strategies to increase sustainable forest management.

The study, led by researchers Inoussa Boubacar and Yaya Sissoko, investigated the critical role of FSC certification in promoting sustainable forest management and mitigating deforestation across diverse economic and climatic contexts. Using dynamic panel data model and Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) estimations on 70 countries from 2000 – 2021, the researchers examined forest cover as a measure for impact of FSC certification.

Key findings

Results indicate that FSC certification contributes to maintaining and increasing forest cover across diverse economic and climatic contexts. This positive impact is most strongly observed in lower-middle income countries (as defined by World Bank economic classifications). Scaling up certification and integrating it into national policies could benefit countries of this economic category. The data also shows positive impacts of certification on low-, middle-, and high-income countries.

The study also found that FSC certification has a positive impact on all climate zones – tropical, temperate, and others. However, the strength of the impact varies across zones, highlighting the need for region-specific strategies.

Recommendations

Based on these findings, the authors recommend:

• tailoring strategies for different regions and countries based on economic structures, governance capacities, market conditions, and climatic zones;
• embedding FSC certification into national and international forest governance frameworks;
• aligning certification with trade policies;
• further aligning FSC with international initiatives such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) for example as was done in the Congo Basin; and
• strengthening collaboration among stakeholders including policymakers, companies, and international organizations to increase the adoption of FSC certification to mitigate deforestation.

Read the study here.