JournalTOCs

Environmental Management and Sustainable Development
Number of Followers: 11

This is an Open Access Journal

Open Access journal
ISSN (Print) 2164-7682
Published by Macrothink Institute

[47 journals]

Forest Tenure and Sustainable Forest Management: Drawing Lessons from the
Literature
- Authors: Gordon Kofi Sarfo-Adu
  Pages: 1 - 16
  Abstract: The quest to foster sustainable forest management (SFM) in the era of sustainable development goals has reignited the debate on forest tenure concerns. Land and forest tenure insecurity has remained a major underlying cause of deforestation in Africa, which suggests that addressing tenure issues could effectively foster sustainable forest management. Adopting theoretical literature and drawing lessons from related empirical works, this study examines the role of land and forest tenure in sustainable forest management drive. Among other things, the study discusses how land tenure promotes or inhibits sustainable forest practices. The study outlines how frustrating tenure regimes deprive the community of the needed benefits and subsequent untoward behaviour unleashed on forests. The study concludes that the idea of tenure rights and tenure security has implications on sustainable forest management and admonishes a robust tenure regime that upholds local 'people's access to and usage of forest resources without sinister machinations and subjugation of local people. The study contends that determined rights and their long-term security remain crucial in attracting the tenure holders to make a strenuous investment in SFM since investments in forestry usually are made for the long term. Among other things, the study recommends for clarity and long-term security of ownership and tenure rights regarding forest products; a need to promote capacity-building for administrators and rights holders to adopt a sustainable mindset in their exploitation of timber products; and a need to foster stakeholder participation.
  PubDate: 2021-02-25
  DOI: 10.5296/emsd.v10i2.18345
  Issue No: Vol. 10, No. 2 (2021)
Enforcing Sustainable Forest Management Policies: An Assessment of the
Institutional Structures for VPA Implementation in Ghana
- Authors: Gordon Kofi Sarfo-Adu
  Pages: 17 - 30
  Abstract: Public policy formulation in the forestry management space is an essential step in addressing issues of environmental degradation. That notwithstanding, policies will remain mere intents if they are not forged with appropriate structures and institutional underpinnings. This study assesses the institutional and structural mechanisms adopted to foster effective implementation of the Voluntary Partnership Agreement in Ghana. The qualitative case study design was employed to gather data from purposively selected respondents. The study observes that after ratification of the VPA in Ghana, this was forged with subsequent measures to ensure smooth operationalization of same. The structures include a Legality Assurance System (LAS); chain of custody and wood tracking system (GWTS); establishment of a Timber Verification Department to check and verify the legality of all timbers among others. The structures also entail collaborative governance, transparency and accountability measures to ensure operationalization of the VPA requirements. The study observes that where there are multiple, overlapping and independent actors along the value chain, trust and credibility is built such that those in the downstream of the implementation remain very careful and conscientious in their operations and dealings. The study concludes that relevant implementation structures interspersed with actor constellations, and multi-stake holding remain cornerstone of SFM arrangements.
  PubDate: 2021-02-25
  DOI: 10.5296/emsd.v10i2.18346
  Issue No: Vol. 10, No. 2 (2021)
Navigating Through the Maze: Practical Constraints in the Implementation
of Forest Regulations (FLEGT) in Ghana
- Authors: Gordon Kofi Sarfo-Adu
  Pages: 31 - 43
  Abstract: The European Union Forest Law Enforcement on Governance and Trade (EU-FLEGT) Action Plan seeks to promote widespread sustainable forest management and relies largely on transnational actors and international law in its operationalization. The EU FLEGT sets out EU custom regulation through Voluntary Partnership Agreements (VPAs) which is a bilateral agreement between the EU and wood exporting countries with instruments aimed at promoting sustainable practices within the forest resources value chain. Ghana became a signatory to the FLEGT VPA since 2007, as part of the process, it is required to use technology to track timber logging from source to point of export. Issues of networks and inter-agency collaboration and dealing with human elements remain crucial in ensuring effective operationalization. Adopting a qualitative case study design as well as theories and concepts from the public policy implementation literature, this study examines the implementation vagaries of the FLEGT VPA in Ghana. Although the VPA is a laudable idea of using Information Technology (IT) in effectively tracking timber to its original source to ascertain legality or otherwise of the timber, the needed IT infrastructure and resources have not matched up with the goal. Additionally, the VPA implementation is expensive and has come with additional cost to the implementers, The study further observes that the increasing ‘red flags’ that are raised on the Ghana Wood Tracking System is a blend of technical errors emanating from negligence or capacity challenges and human manipulation. This calls for regular consultations and workshops with relevant stakeholders in order to assess which skills are deficient and a need to beef up through on-the-job training. The domestic market and trading activities tend to fuel demand for illegal timber hence a constraint to the full realization of the VPA objective. The study makes policy suggestions on how to address these implementation challenges.
  PubDate: 2021-02-25
  DOI: 10.5296/emsd.v10i2.18360
  Issue No: Vol. 10, No. 2 (2021)