FSC’s renewed attempt to undermine the credibility of PEFC, a move that is not in the interest of our common goal of promoting sustainable forest management,” said Ben Gunneberg, Secretary General of PEFC International, in response to a report published on the FSC website.
 
“Now is not the time for partisan bickering about the number of angels that can dance on the head of a pin.  As we approach Rio+20 we should be working together to fulfil the promise of forest certification, especially in tropical countries where less than one percent of the forests are certified.”
 
The report, which was funded by the FSC International Center, repeats findings of an earlier report published by FSC in 2009, namely that “PEFC certified products do not qualify as FSC Controlled Wood.”
 
“I had hoped that by this point in our development and maturation that these silly school yard games would have ceased and we could work together to promote sustainable forest management in those difficult and challenging places around the world,” added William Street, Chair of PEFC Council.  “It is our intent to continue to focus on making certification a tool to address the twin problems of deforestation and poverty in the developing world, not argue about minutia based on misunderstanding and miscommunication.” Mr. Street encouraged all stakeholders to sign the Rio Forest Certification Declaration, which is based on the idea that a common set of principles is needed, a set of principles that provides guidance to all of us about what is needed to better promote and expand forest certification.