Former President Jagdeo to address International Tropical Timber Council in Japan

Bharat JagdeoFormer President Bharrat Jagdeo, one of the world’s leading climate campaigners, has been invited to address the 50th International Tropical Timber Council (ITTC) Session that will be held in Yokohama, Japan, November 3-8.

The event is being held to commemorate the International Tropical Timber Organisation (ITTO) governing body’s 50th anniversary. Delegates from 68 ITTO member countries and the European Union will participate in the session of the council first convened in Geneva in 1985/86. Jagdeo, who was asked to be the Guest Speaker by the ITTO, has continued his relentless push for climate change to be seriously tackled by countries of the world collectively in an equitable manner and economically sustainable manner.

The former President, who received the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Champion of the Earth Prize a few years ago, recently said that in spite of promises made, a study by the World Bank puts the globe on track for a four-degree rise in temperature which will result in parts of the world being inundated as the threats of climate change occur.

ITTO was established under the International Tropical Timber Agreement of 1983 negotiated by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) in order to promote the sustainable management of tropical forests and trade in sustainably produced tropical forest products.”

The council session will mainly discuss sustainable management of tropical forests and tropical timber trade. It will also deliberate on the election of the new Executive Director of ITTO, consideration and approval of the projects to be supported, ITTO Biennial Work Programme (2015-2016), report on the Joint ITTO-CBD Collaborative Initiative for Tropical Forest Biodiversity, report on developments in UNFCCC regarding forests, report on enhancing cooperation between ITTO and CITES, revision of ITTO Staff Regulations and Rules, etc.