In the latest years, Acréscimo has been noticing more and more reasons to be suspicions about the credibility of forest certification based on the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and the Endorsement of Forest Certification Program (PEFC) systems, the way they operate in Portugal.
1. Due to the complicity with unrestrained deforestation
situation and uncontrolled spread of exotic species plantations, with high
environmental, social and economic risks;
2. Due to the suspected absence of permanent monitoring in the deposition
of industrial waste
in certified forest areas with potential risks to public health, especially to
the rural populations;
3. Due to the association, on the chain of custody, to entities
involved on public complaint for breach of environmental legislation, with
serious situations related to an international river course pollution;
4. Due to the predisposition to take advantage of public funding support
through the Common Agricultural Policy and the National Budget (PDR 2020), including the
Permanent Forest Fund, to overcome their tenuous expansion in markets under
imperfect competition;
5. Due to the lack of transparency on the funding model mechanisms of its
activities, especially on the financial flows, directly or indirectly related
to demand of industrial oligopolies.
Acréscimo considers that the FSC and
PEFC certification systems, such as currently applied in Portugal, are shrouded
in suspicions that undermine their credibility. Everything leads us to believe
that the certification business outstripped the principles underlying the
certification.
Acréscimo will question these certification systems international administrations about the credibility
of the actions of its partners in Portugal.
