James Mayers October 2016

1Changing times, changing policy

Author nameDateJames MayersOctober 2016

Changing times, changing policy

China-Africa Forest Governance Learning Platform

James Mayers October 2016

2Changing times, changing policy

Changing times – changing policyAfrica’s forests are calling – wake up everybody! Time for change: 50 years and 1 trillion US$ of aid to Africa – need real investment now – but it is not easy:1. Recognise rights, engage with their holders, get round the table,

dismantle secrecy 2. Know the forest resource and act on this knowledge – grow more

of it – and community forest management is the future 3. Respect national and local laws – and help improve them – align

and spread VPAs and CTLVS, enable investments, protect citizens

4. Guidelines help – get them widely used – more disclosure, take the next steps and be accountable

5. Green finance and green procurement for forests – get them moving

6. Invest in skills and organisation – for engagement, efficiency and effectiveness – Chinese aid here please (does not need another 1 trillion US$)

James Mayers October 2016

3Changing times, changing policy

Deep processing – deeply responsible business

1. Improve policy measures: log export bans, incentives, industrial parks2. Address the barriers: old ways and means, low efficiency, high transport costs3. Help with bigger solutions to: uncertain policies, unstable politics4. Get practical:

• Favourable taxation and institutional climate• Energy, transport, communications• Integrate deeper forest processing in wider country strategies• Promote SMEs and integration of informal sector• Use secondary species more and diversify products• Bind all the above to good forest resource management

5. Avoid dangers of exclusivity – ‘the best are the enemy of the good’ – driving the excluded to be less responsible and more unaccountable 6. Learn from experience (Ghana, Gabon, China), take opportunities (Mozambique…), frame as ‘sustainable forest product development parks’?7. Invest in skills and organisation – again!

James Mayers October 2016

4Changing times, changing policy

New research – new innovation – exciting times!