INTERNATIONAL TROPICAL TIMBER COUNCIL (ITTC)

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Context

• The 59th International Tropical Timber Council (ITTC) concluded on November 17, 2023.

IITC

• The IITC is the governing body of the International Tropical Timber Organisation (ITTO), which aims to promote sustainable management and conservation of tropical forests.

Meeting

• The International Tropical Timber Council (ITTC), group meets at least once a year to discuss a wide-ranging agenda aimed at promoting sustainable tropical forest management and the trade of sustainably produced tropical timber.

Decisions taken in the Recent Meeting

Sustainable Forest Management

• The countries agreed to endorse eight projects related to sustainable forest management and related objectives.
• The session also approved and adopted a budget of $7.1 million for the coming financial year 2024-25.

Work Program for 2024-25

• The work program for 2024-25 was also adopted, which included a request to the executive director to collaborate closely with members of the Collaborative Partnership on Forests and other partners on implementation.

Trial measure allowing ineligible members to submit project proposals

• The council also approved a trial measure that will allow ineligible members to submit project proposals and concept notes.
• Members who have fallen behind on their financial contributions and are thus ineligible will be allowed to submit one project and concept note for every two years of arrears paid.

ITTC

• The International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) is an intergovernmental organization that promotes the conservation of tropical forest resources and their sustainable management, use, and trade.
• The organization was established under the International Tropical Timber Agreement (ITTA), which was sponsored by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development and was ratified in 1985.
• Its mandate was renewed by the International Tropical Timber Agreement, 1994 and again by the International Tropical Timber Agreement, 2006, which aims to promote sustainable management and legal harvesting of forests that produce tropical timber and to promote expansion and diversification of international timber trade from these forests.
• The governing body is the International Tropical Timber Council (ITTC). Half the votes on the ITTC are assigned to producing countries and half to consumers. Within each block, votes are assigned based on market share.