Certified Tropical Timber and Consumer Behavior

Karl L. Brockmann

• 10 juli 1996
• 9783790809558

Samenvatting:

Boycotting tropical timber reduces its economic value and provides an incentive to burn down forests, making them available for subsequent agricultural use or livestock farming. The results reveal that a credible certification scheme can induce a significant expansion of demand for sustainably produced tropical timber.

Boycotting tropical timber reduces its economic value and provides an incentive to burn down forests, making them available for subsequent agricultural use or livestock farming. In contrast, a certification scheme for sustainability produced timber (tropical or non-tropical) protects the forests by raising their economic value.
This study examines the impact of a certification scheme on German demand for tropical timber. A partial-equilibrium model is developed for the German tropical timber market as a whole as well as for five important submarkets representing 50% of the total demand. The results reveal that a credible certification scheme can induce a significant expansion of demand for sustainability produced tropical timber. This holds true for a scheme restricted to Germany as well as for an OECD-wide approach.

Boycotting tropical timber reduces its economic value, and provides for subsequent agricultural use or livestock farming. In contrast, a certification scheme for sustainably produced timber (tropical or non-tropical) protects the forests by raising their economic value. This volume examines the impact of a certification scheme on German demand for tropical timber. A partial-equilibrium model is developed for the German tropical timber market, as a whole as well as for five important submarkets representing 50 per cent of the total demand. The results reveal that a credible certification scheme can induce a significant expansion of demand for sustainably produced tropical timber. This holds true for a scheme restricted to Germany as well as for an OECD-wide approach.