Co-organized by FAO, DENR and APFC, the second expert consultation on Establishing an Asia-Pacific Forest Policy ‘Think Tank’ was successfully held during 21-22 August 2007 in Manila, Philippines. The meeting was powered by 41 colleagues from government, academia, research, civil society and international organizations in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond.

Through a two-day process of overview presentations, panel discussions, working groups, and brainstorming in plenary, the assembled experts made excellent progress on the stated objectives, and were able to identify not only what the proposed think tank should do, but also what it should not do.

The scope was prioritized and narrowed to key functional areas such as: communications, advocacy, coordination, capacity building, policy analysis and resource mobilization. It was agreed that the focus should be on policy implementation, value added and building upon existing networks and partnerships.

Recommendations on the appropriate structure highlighted the need for: an appropriate mother organization to host the initiative; an independent and flexible secretariat with full-time coordinator; an active advisory group; and thematic focus groups to carry out various activities supported by the think tank.

The expert group also identified a list of potential institutional and individual champions within the region to support the establishment and operation of the proposed think tank. Feedback on the term ‘think tank’ (e.g., a label that evokes “technical arrogance” to some) indicated the need to revisit and reconsider a more appropriate name for this initiative.

Several national, regional and international organizations expressed their keen interest to collaborate with the think tank/network/forum, and offered a range of possible in-kind and financial support. Very practical recommendations were made regarding the way forward, and these will be discussed immediately with the APFC Executive Committee. It was also recommended to explore further linkages with AFP, ASEAN Secretariat, as well as with other key partner countries, organizations and international processes.

To support and implement the next steps, it was decided that an interim coordinator and core group should be constituted as follows:

FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific agreed to act as interim coordinator, working with a core group comprising RECOFTC, AFN and the new RAFT program;
FAO will mobilize resources and consultant to do gap analysis, and develop and package proposals and materials for marketing to partners and donors (e.g., document and share relevant policy success stories and toolkits); and
RECOFTC and RAFT also have available resources to support some actions.

Background and Rationale

During 21-22 August 2007 in Manila, Philippines, colleagues from the Asia-Pacific region and beyond actively participated in the second expert consultation on Establishing an Asia-Pacific Forest Policy ‘Think Tank.’ The consultation was co-organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Philippine Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), under the aegis of the Asia-Pacific Forestry Commission (APFC).

As a follow-up to the first expert consultation held during March 2006 – entitled Establishing a Regional Forest Policy Network – this present gathering had four main objectives (and associated expected outputs):

To reaffirm the need for establishing an Asia-Pacific forest policy initiative.
To explore some of the possible forms, modalities and models that the regional ‘think tank’ might take, and develop consensus on a suitable model for delivering the functions and impacts of the initiative.
To generate options, nominations and commitments – both at an institutional and individual level – to ‘champion’ the establishment and operation of the think tank.
To gain indications of interest from international partner organizations, and explore ways in which their institutional mandates and strategies may support and collaborate with the future think tank.

Thus, the consultation program (see Annex 1) was designed to address the above objectives through a series of panel discussions, working groups and plenary interactions. The consultation was powered by a diverse group of 41 experts from:

Government agencies;
Academic and research organizations;
Civil society (non-governmental and private sector organizations); and
International and regional organizations.

A six-person support team from the DENR Forest Management Bureau provided stellar secretariat and back-up services in organizing and implementing the meeting (see Annex 2 for the list of participants and support staff).

The 10 countries represented were: Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nepal, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam. There were 11 international or regional entities in attendance: Asia Forest Network (AFN), Asian Development Bank (ADB), Japan Overseas Forestry Consultants Association (JOFCA), FAO, Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Institute for Global Environmental Studies (IGES), Regional Community Forestry Training Center for Asia and the Pacific (RECOFTC), Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC), Southeast Asia Network for Agroforestry Education (SEANAFE), The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

Getting Started

To open the consultation, welcome remarks were delivered on behalf of DENR and FAO.

Mr. Manuel D. Gerochi, Undersecretary of DENR, welcomed all participants to the Philippines, and stressed the importance of the consultation theme for the Philippines as well as other countries in the region. He reiterated DENR’s support for the establishment and implementation of the Asia-Pacific forest policy think tank, and hoped that this second consultation would provide the impetus for successfully launching this important and timely regional initiative. He also wished that all participants would have some free time to enjoy Manila.

The FAO Representative to the Philippines, Mr. Kazuyuki Tsurumi, joined the Undersecretary in welcoming everyone. He stressed a point that resonated throughout the first consultation: as a region, we must do better in the policy arena. Policy remains the critical foundation on which efforts to achieve sustainable forest management are built. If our forest policies are deficient, then it is simply not realistic to aspire to sustainable forest management.

His message to the participants was that this is an important and significant consultation, and the group that has been gathered here comprises people regarded as being among the best “thinkers” in the Asia-Pacific region. It is a group that is strong on experience, ideas, judgment and innovation. As such, they are the most appropriate people to shape and christen this ‘think tank’ – ideally an innovative body that transcends conventional notions of networks, commissions and the like. It is here that we have a real opportunity to craft a body capable of consolidating the best the region has to offer, while identifying and addressing its challenges.

Following these inspiring opening remarks by the DENR Undersecretary and FAO Representative, Mr. Patrick Durst, Senior Forestry Officer, FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, provided the background, context and objectives for this expert consultation. He pointed out that the first consultation, held in March 2006, deliberately involved only participants from Asia-Pacific countries, with the intent that it should be Asian voices and ideas that initially and ultimately shaped this initiative. This second consultation is designed to bring in representatives of a number of regional and international organizations, to add valuable perspectives, and particularly to consider support for such an initiative over the long-term.

He also shared the key outcomes and conclusions from the first consultation:

There was strong need for a forest policy “think tank” in the region and strong support for the idea of its establishment;
The initiative should start small, with some manageable discreet tasks, and gradually work toward bigger and more ambitious objectives;
It was recommended to seek endorsement from APFC (approved April 2006);
There was also recognition that initial efforts should focus on refining tasks and objectives; and finally
That “form should follow function.”

The consultation facilitator, Mr. Chun Lai, then provided an overview, including the objectives, expected outcomes, profile of participants, process during the two days, as well as suggested norms to follow. He urged the participants to seek consensus and commitments (individual and institutional) as much as possible in order to move this initiative forward. Also, to reduce the paper usage and carbon footprint, most of the papers and presentations will be put onto a CD – along with the consultation report – and distributed to all participants soon after the meeting.

Reflecting on Why this Initiative is Needed

A panel of five colleagues – Messrs. C.T.S. Nair (FAO), Lu De (China), Promode Kant (India), Romeo Acosta (Philippines) and Inoke Ratukalou (SPC) – engaged in reflections on the need to support regional forestry policy development, based on the following suggested guide questions:

Do you think there is a need to support regional forestry policy development? Why or why not?
To support forestry policy development and reforms within the region, do you think we need to establish a regional think tank? Why or why not?
If such a think tank were to be established, what do you think would be the expected benefits and impacts? And who would be the main beneficiaries?
From the perspective of your particular stakeholder group, how could your group contribute to and benefit from such an initiative?

Forest Policies in a Borderless World

Mr. C.T.S. Nair, Chief Economist, FAO Forestry Department, contended that economics and ecology have become borderless. This is being driven by globalization and increasing economic interdependence, as well as by global environmental issues and problems that are transboundary in nature.

National forest policies – such as logging bans, expansion of forest industries, conservation of resources and areas, and subsidies/incentives to plantations – have far-reaching regional and global impacts. At the same time, external factors can greatly impact on forestry, as in the case of energy policies, agriculture policies, environmental policies, industrial policies and exchange rate fluctuations.

Thus, the main challenge relates to the ability to analyze issues: particularly those that are outside the ‘forestry box’ and ‘beyond the borders’ of the forest sector. This calls for a capacity for broader policy analysis, which is practically non-existent, especially in the public domain.

To respond to this challenge, a regional think tank could contribute to the following:

• Creation of a critical mass of policy analysts addressing forestry issues;

• Systematic analysis of implications of policies within and outside forestry;

• Regional policy briefs; and

• Building up policy analysis capability.

A Chinese Perspective

Mr. Lu De, State Forest Administration, China, shared his views with respect to the suggested guide questions. He stressed that China needs to learn from other countries, and that a regional think tank could facilitate this type of exchange by providing a platform for sharing among countries. One important function of such a think tank would be to monitor and assess policies that affect forestry in member countries, and then share the analysis, findings and lessons with all stakeholders. He stated that China would like to provide in-kind support for the establishment and operation of the proposed regional think tank.

An Indian Example

The next panelist, Mr. Promode Kant from Amit University, Noida, India, provided an example of networking in northeastern India, where they began by interacting with individual communities/stakeholders, but found that dialogue partners were never satisfied. Even when all demands were satisfied, new ones were raised immediately. But when many stakeholders communicated on issues in which they had diverse interests, they were more reasonable and willing to compromise. But this negotiation has to be a long-drawn process, meaning continuous networking.

He concluded that a network should connect all the factors important to forestry (land, climate, soil and people), and connect science with people. This meant forestry professionals from provincial forestry departments, federal and district level governance, academics and researchers working together with communities and users of timber, pulpwood, plywood and NTFPs such as bamboo.

Regarding the coordinating body of a network, he recommended that this be a leading institution backed by government, but not part of a government agency because then the dialogue becomes demand. The network structure should be broad-based, within and among countries, and be either hierarchy or flat. In his view, a bit of hierarchy brings discipline, thus at least a moderator is needed.

APFC Perspective

Mr. Romeo Acosta of DENR shared the perspective of APFC, for which he is an Executive Committee member. He stated that, during the past 4-5 years, there has been strong consensus within APFC that a regional forest policy entity is needed, whether it be a network or think tank, to provide a platform for an Asia-Pacific voice on international forestry and forest policy. Such an entity could link with the expanding ASEAN community, as well as with prominent policy issues related to sustainable forest management and illegal logging and trade, the latter through the East Asia Forest Law Enforcement and Governance (EA-FLEG) process.

From the standpoint of the Philippines and DENR, they stand prepared to support this future network or think tank.

A Pacific Example

The final panelist, Mr. Inoke Ratukalou, SPC, Fiji, introduced the Pacific Agricultural and Forest Policy Network (PAFPNet), whose mission is to connect and empower the people of the Pacific on issues related to agricultural and forest policies. Established in July 2006 by 22 countries and territories in the Pacific, the network’s primary objective is to strengthen the active participation and commitment of stakeholders in policy matters for the sustainable growth of the agricultural and forestry sectors in the region.

PAFPNet aims to facilitate communications, information dissemination, capacity building and awareness raising, efforts intended to contribute to the development and implementation of sound policies, plans and decisions in the countries and in the region. The network recognizes NGOs, the private sector, civil society and local community groups as important actors in determining policy direction and action, and their involvement is promoted.

Open Forum Highlights

The five panelists stimulated a lively exchange of views and comments from the participants during the ensuing open forum. In particular, the following points helped to further examine the need and nature of the proposed regional forest policy entity:

There is a sense of urgency, a strong need to “act” rather than to “think” on issues such as sustainable forest management and climate change.

There is a need for support in policy development because: 1) the majority of today’s problems are regional and global in scope (illegal logging and trade, forest fire and haze, even forest land conflicts); and 2) policy failures are due to lack of political will.

The importance of communications was stressed by several participants because many decision makers are ill-informed about policy issues. Therefore, the challenge for the think tank is how to “think out of the box” and start communicating effectively to decision makers and other stakeholders who influence policy development.

Policies must reflect the increasing role of forests as suppliers of environmental services (and their associated externalities), rather than traditional products.

Forestry-related problems are often connected with socioeconomic and cultural issues. There is a need to consider societal demands in the forestry sector, and for the think tank to link with various sectors of society.

A network or think tank is needed to collect and analyze information from different countries on policy trends and initiatives, learn about the effectiveness and impacts of policy implementation, highlight the role of forestry, and promote cooperation among countries and regions.

It is important to respect the sovereignty of the people in decision-making processes; and policy should be based on knowledge beyond forestry (e.g., leadership and business skills, aspects of ‘