ITTO encourages ASEAN to harness timber as a driver of sustainable development
ITTO Projects Manager Tetra Yanuariadi addressed delegates from across the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on the critical role of legal and sustainable supply chains in realizing the potential of tropical timber from sustainably managed forests to drive economic development in the region and beyond. © NRCD
ITTO briefed senior officials and forestry experts from across the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on the critical role of legal and sustainable supply chains in realizing the potential of tropical timber from sustainably managed forests to drive economic development in the region and beyond.
ITTO Projects Manager Tetra Yanuariadi addressed delegates at the 29th Meeting of the ASEAN Working Group on Forest Product Development (AWG-FPD) and the 29th Meeting of the ASEAN Senior Officials on Forestry (ASOF), which were held virtually on 8–10 September 2026.
In a presentation to the AWG-FPD on 8 September, Dr Yanuariadi described how sustainable forest management (SFM) underpins the legal and sustainable supply of timber, putting forest industries in pole position to deliver green economic development. However, many smaller timber operators face challenges in areas including operational planning, access to finance, and control over resources.
ITTO supports its members to address such issues, including through its flagship legal and sustainable supply chains (LSSC) programme, with goals that include strengthening supplies of sustainable timber, efficient value addition by forest industries, and making tropical timber products more competitive in global markets.
Running since 2019 with support from ITTO members including China, Germany, Japan and the United States, the LSSC programme has supported members in adopting SFM practices, while also advocating for expanded trade in sustainable timber and more appreciation of how SFM supports global conservation and development goals.
The Global Legal & Sustainable Timber Forum, an annual gathering of timber stakeholders, is an activity supporting ITTO’s legal and sustainable supply chains (LSSC) programme. © GGSC Secretariat
Through a collaborative framework between ITTO and the Commerce and Investment Promotion Institute (IPIM) of Macao SAR, China, the programme’s current activities include:
The Global Legal & Sustainable Timber Forum, an annual gathering of timber stakeholders launched in 2023 to advance collaboration and business exchange on topics including SFM and LSSC.
The Global Timber Index, an expanding information-sharing platform that monitors and reflects trends and best practices across the timber industry in order to promote collaboration and transparency.
The development of a blockchain-based timber traceability system (BTTS) to enhance timber tracking along global supply chains.
The Global Green Supply Chains (GGSC) initiative, a network of forest operators and stakeholders promoting research, production, processing and consumption of sustainable forest products.
Through its projects, ITTO has promoted the expanded use of wood as a climate solution by working with ASEAN members Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Viet Nam, as well as India, to advance the use of wood products in domestic markets. In addition, ITTO has advocated sustainable wood use through efforts with many of its members at in-country and international events, and in joint efforts with member organizations of the Collaborative Partnership on Forests, with the Government of Japan at the side events at the UN Climate Change Conference.
Dr Yanuariadi also highlighted the recent launch of Tropix Online, an open access database covering more than 300 timber species developed by the French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development (CIRAD) with ITTO support to provide a global reference tool for professionals processing and using tropical timber.
Dr Yanuariadi highlights ITTO’s work on developing innovative solutions in the forestry sector using new technologies, including satellite-based fire monitoring and early warning systems. © ITTO
In his presentation to the ASOF meeting on 10 September, Dr Yanuariadi additionally highlighted ITTO’s work on biodiversity conservation and on developing innovative solutions in the forestry sector using new technologies.
In recognition of the importance of biodiversity in production forest landscapes, the Organization has collaborated with the Convention on Biological Diversity since 2011 in areas including forest restoration, protected area management, and the sustainable use of natural resources by local communities and Indigenous groups.
Most recently, ITTO is working with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) to update the 2009 ITTO/IUCN guidelines for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity in tropical timber production forests.
Discussing innovation, Dr Yanuariadi described ITTO’s work to develop integrated fire management systems, including satellite-based monitoring and early warning, and the development of the Tropical Fire Management Toolkit, a new resource set for launch this week.
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