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1 1 (February 26, 2019)

handle is hein.crs/govyeo0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Cogesoa Resarc SenUe S February 26, 2019 International Illegal Logging: Background and Issues Background Illegal logging is a pervasive problem throughout the world and generally is defined as the harvest, transport, purchase, or sale of timber in violation of national laws. Illegal logging can lead to degraded forest ecosystems and loss of biodiversity, impede economic development, challenge local governance, and contribute to crime and corruption. In regions with large tropical forests, such as the Amazon and areas in Central Africa and Southeast Asia, illegal logging is estimated to account for 50%-90% of all forestry activities, according to the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL). INTERPOL also reports that the trade in illegally harvested timber is between $51 billion and $152 billion annually. This figure does not take into account the reduction in legal timber prices caused by illegal logging, which is estimated to be between 7% and 16%. Some express concern that U.S. demand for tropical timber from countries in Latin America and Southeast Asia could, in part, drive illegal logging in those areas. The United States is the world's largest wood products consumer and one of the top importers of tropical hardwoods, including Peruvian mahogany, 90% of which is estimated to come from illegal logging. Illegal logging activities can devalue U.S. timber exports. One source estimates that if illegal timber were eradicated in the global market, the value of U.S. timber exports could increase by an average of approximately $460 million annually. Scope and Scale Due to the often clandestine nature of illegal logging, the variability in defining illegal logging, and the difficulty of obtaining large-scale data on illegal logging practices in many countries, estimates of the extent of illegal logging are difficult to quantify specifically. Researchers estimate that the percentage of illegal logging is highest in Cameroon, Indonesia, Brazil, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Myanmar, Papua New Guinea, Ghana, Peru, and Laos. See Table 1 for estimates of illegal logging in selected countries. Table I. Illegal Logging in Selected Countries Country of Origin Estimated % of Illegal Logging Brazil 50% Cameroon 50%-65% DRC 90% Ghana 34%-70% Indonesia 60%-80% Laos 35%-80% Malaysia 35% Country of Origin Estimated % of Illegal Logging Papua New Guinea 70% Peru 80%-90% Republic of Congo 70% .i 10%-15% in Northwest and 50% in Russian Federation FrEs usa Far East Russia. Sources: A. Hoare, Tackling Illegal Logging and the Related Trade, Chatham House Report, July 2015; and World Bank, Strengthening Forest Law Enforcement and Governance, August 2006. The top consumers of international illegal logging include China, India, Japan, the United States, and countries within the European Union (EU). U.S. Laws That Address Iega Logging The United States has several laws that address aspects of international illegal logging. These laws focus on the import of timber from foreign countries and authorize funding to combat illegal logging. Importing timber of certain species can be regulated or banned if the timber species is listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA; 16 U.S.C. §§1531-1543). (Foreign species can be listed under ESA.) Permits generally are required to import ESA- listed timber. ESA-listed timber also may be listed under the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES). CITES regulates trade of protected plant and wildlife species, which are classified according to how trade threatens their survival. U.S. imports of wood and wood products from CITES- listed tree species are regulated according to their status. Currently, 73 tree species are listed as trade-restricted under CITES. Listed species are traded through a permit system, which provides oversight over trade and how it affects species. If any of these laws or other federal, state, and foreign laws are violated, the Lacey Act (16 U.S.C. §§3371-3378) could be invoked. The Lacey Act makes it unlawful to import, export, transport, sell, receive, acquire, or purchase in interstate or foreign commerce any plant, fish, or wildlife taken, possessed, transported, or sold in violation of any U.S. or state law or regulation, or in violation of any foreign law. In relation to foreign timber, the Lacey Act makes it illegal to import plants and plant products that have been harvested or processed in violation of foreign and domestic laws. The Lacey Act is often considered the primary policy mechanism the United States can use to curb illegal logging. U.S. companies that import timber have to conduct due diligence to make sure their shipments were harvested and processed legally according to U.S. and foreign laws. If a law was broken, a U.S. company could be subject to civil https://crsreports.congress.gov

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