Second Announcement

Global Legal and Sustainable Timber Forum—GLSTF 2024

11–12 September 2024

 MGM COTAI, Macao SAR, China

Background

Recent developments show that timber-industry stakeholders —timber producers, buyers, processors and market players, both nationally and internationally — need to collaborate    even more closely to address issues in global timber supply chains arising from the pandemic and other uncertainties and to bridge the widening gap between the demand and supply of wood products. It is also essential to sustain and enhance collaboration and exchange views and information among timber-industry stakeholders worldwide with the aim of building a sustainable collaborative platform to promote legal and sustainable timber supply chains.

The aim of ITTO’s Legal and Sustainable Supply Chain (LSSC) Programme is to build legal and sustainable supply chains. As part of the programme, ITTO and the Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute (IPIM) are working as partners under a collaborative framework agreement to co-host the Global Legal and Sustainable Timber Forum (GLSTF) as a means for accelerating the development of legal and sustainable timber supply chains.

ITTO and IPIM, in collaboration with the Global Green Supply Chains Initiative (GGSC), convened the inaugural GLSTF in China, Macao SAR, on 21–22 November 2023. This milestone event, which brought together nearly 700 participants from 36 countries, was the  first global forum held under the partnership focused on measures for improving the legality and sustainability of tropical timber supply chains. GLSTF 2024, which is scheduled to be held in Macao SAR, China in September 2024, will provide continuity for these efforts. 

Objective

The aim of GLSTF 2024 is to enhance networking, collaboration and business exchange among timber-industry stakeholders with a view to strengthening support for sustainable  forest management and the uptake of legal and sustainable wood product supply chains. In this way, it will facilitate the legal and sustainable use and trade of wood products in a  stable, transparent and predictable business environment while contributing to sustainable development and climate-change mitigation.

Date & Venue

11‑12 September 2024 at the MGM COTAI, Macao SAR, China.

Co-hosts & Organizer

GLSTF 2024 will be co-hosted by ITTO and IPIM and organized by the GGSC Secretariat. Specialized subforums will be co-organized by partner agencies and ITTO, IPIM and the GGSC Secretariat.

Forum Structure

The GLSTF 2024 will have two components:

1)      The Global Legal and Sustainable Timber Forum (main forum).

2)      Four Specialized Sub-forums (sub-forums).

Theme & Topics

The theme of GLSTF 2024 will be “together towards reliable and effective global timber supply chains” .

The main forum will discuss topics related to reliable and stable timber resource supplies, trust and effectiveness along timber supply chains, and the prospects for revitalizing global timber supply chains.

The specialized subforums, which will be organized by partner agencies, will contribute to the GLSTF 2024 theme through the following topics: timber legality and sustainability; sustainable timber resources, markets and trade; advanced technology and machinery for wood processing; and green finance and innovative facilitating measures.

Legal and Sustainable Timber Industry Display

A legal and sustainable timber industry display will be organized in parallel with the GLSTF 2024, with around 30 booths.

Other Events & Activities

The achievements of the Global Timber Index, the Blockchain-based Timber Tracking System, and other initiatives, will be showcased. Other business activities and side-events, including B2B matchings, will be arranged.

Participants

The GLSTF 2024 is expected to attract around 700 participants from wood enterprises and trading companies, industrial and business associations, governments, international organizations, research institutions, etc.

Languages

The GLSTF 2024 will feature simultaneous interpretation in Chinese (Mandarin), English, French, Spanish and Portuguese.

To register for GLSTF 2024, go to https://en.glstf.net/reg/reg-step1-en.php

For more information, contact: 

GGSC Secretariat: Ms Gao Xuting at gaoxuting@itto-ggsc.org

ITTO: Mr Li Qiang at li@itto.int 

IPIM: Mr Steve CHAN at pcel@ipim.gov.mo

 For the draft agenda of GLSTF 2024, please see:

Second Announcement for GLSTF 2024.pdf