WELCOME TO ILLEGAL-LOGGING.INFO

Welcome to illegal-logging.info. The purpose of this site is to provide background information on the key issues in the illegal logging debate, together with news stories, information on events, key documents and links to other relevant websites.

The site is maintained by the Energy, Environment and Development Programme of Chatham House in London, with funding from the UK Department for International Development.

Illegal logging and the international trade in illegally logged timber is a major problem for many timber-producing countries in the developing world. It causes environmental damage, costs governments billions of dollars in lost revenue, promotes corruption, undermines the rule of law and good governance and funds armed conflict. It retards sustainable development in some of the poorest countries of the world. Consumer countries contribute to these problems by importing timber and wood products without ensuring that they are legally sourced. In recent years, however, producer and consumer countries alike have paid increasing attention to illegal logging.

The views expressed in documents on this site are the opinions of their authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of Chatham House or its funders.