8 - 9 January 2007: OECD Round Table on Economic consequences of
illegal logging The 19th Round Table on Sustainable Development
at the OECD will meet in Paris to discuss the economics of
illegal logging and how to strengthen international efforts to
stop illegal actions in the forestry sector. The meeting will
focus on the economics of illegal logging, attempting to
identify the economic, legal and institutional factors that
drive illegal activity. In many countries where illegal logging
is a severe problem, forestland ownership rights are unclear or
non-existent. This, together with the fact that large areas in
remote places are often involved, makes enforcement of property
rights difficult. Furthermore, the importance of sustainable
forest management can be subordinated to pressing short term
needs because of poverty and a lack of immediately obvious
development alternatives in the countries concerned. Finally,
there is a clear correlation between corruption and poor public
governance and the rate of illeg