KONTAN.CO.ID – JAKARTA.Purwadi Soeprihanto, Secretary General of the Indonesian Forest Entrepreneurs Association (APHI) supports the expansion of recognition and acceptance of the Timber Legality Verification System (SVLK) at the global level.

Just so you know, the application of SVLK has increased exports of forest products by up to 80% in the last 13 years. Even during the pandemic in 2021, Indonesia scored an export value of more than US$ 13 billion.

In addition, improved forest governance has reduced illegal logging by 60% in the last 15 years, in parallel reducing the deforestation rate by 75% in the last 3 years.

Purwadi said that the expansion of SVLK at the global level is actually in line with the cooperation that has been running through the Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade Voluntary Partnership Agreement (FLEGT-VPA) with the European Union and the United Kingdom.

"Business to Business cooperation needs to be strengthened to promote FLEGT VPA between Indonesia and the European Union and the United Kingdom, as well as build recognition of broad national standards at the global level," he said in an official statement, Monday (9/5).

On the other hand, Lord Zac Goldsmith, the UK Government Minister who handles International Environment and Climate, and UK Animal Welfare and Forests, expressed his appreciation for the achievements in improving Indonesia's forest governance.

"The UK government will continue to encourage the implementation of the Indonesia–UK VPA FLEGT, as this is a manifestation and commitment of the UK to continue to improve forest governance and combat the illegal and unsustainable timber trade," he said.

Goldsmith stressed the importance of expanding forest governance improvements to gain joint support between producing countries and consumer countries, to create a sustainable world timber trade.

Agus Justianto, Director General of Sustainable Forest Management added that the implementation of SVLK provides an important message, how a national standard is built mandatorily to ensure the straightness and sustainability of forest products, through multi-stakeholder consensus and received recognition from the market.

"SVLK is a tangible manifestation of how global cooperation encourages the improvement of Indonesia's forest governance, and therefore, it is very important to strengthen understanding and collaboration at the global level," he said.

Agus said that the implementation of this effort was also in order to build recognition and wider market acceptance of SVLK and other national standard systems.

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