PRESS RELEASE: Natural Rubber players adopt policies committed to healthy ecosystems and human rights

The GPSNR Topic Talks webinar series is organised by the GPSNR Secretariat and presented by GPSNR members. The webinars cover several themes around sustainability and the global natural rubber supply chain.

The series kicked off on 27 October with a presentation by Philippe Thaler from CIRAD, on the implications of EU legislation on imported deforestation.

The second webinar’s theme was on smallholder solutions and featured two separate presentations. “A landscape-level approach to inclusion and capacity building for rubber smallholders” was presented by Rizki Permana from SNV, Widyantoko Sumarlin from Kirana Megatara, and Tony Hill from Proforest. Speaking from experience with the Kelola-Sendang project in South Sumatra, the presenters explained how SNV, with Proforest support, worked with rubber smallholder groups in the jurisdictional initiative, which helped to forge new links between the smallholders and a crumb rubber factory buyer in the Kirana group. 

Next, “Exploring Smallholder Solutions in the Rubber Sector – The Processing and Sale of Rubberwood to Support Smallholder Financing in Indonesia” was presented by Amy Smith from WWF, Gerald Tan from HeveaConnect, with Renée Corstens and Remco Geervliet from Financial Access. This presentation shared the findings of a study which analyzed the potential of rubberwood to serve as a mechanism to support smallholder financing in Indonesia.

The next theme is Assurance and smallholders, and how we can learn from existing schemes. PEFC’s CEO Ben Gunneberg presented a webinar last night, elaborating on PEFC’s approach to standard-setting and certification. He also showcased PEFC’s current collaborative projects with their national members and companies to support smallholder producers, and how these will benefit GPSNR members and the work GPSNR is engaged in.

Continuing with the theme of Assurance and smallholders, FSC will be presenting on 8 December, an overview of smallholder certification solutions.

We are also pleased to announce an addition to the Topic Talks lineup: ‘REDD+, are carbon credits impacts overstated?’. This new presentation, jointly organized with GIZ and which will be held on 10 December, puts the spotlight on reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+) with an introduction to the REDD+ methodology, followed by a discussion with the authors of a recently published study, “Overstated carbon emission reductions from voluntary REDD+ projects in the Brazilian Amazon”. 

GPSNR members may contact the Secretariat to register for the upcoming Topic Talks.

Assurance and Smallholders: Learning from Existing Schemes Part 2

“FSC Smallholder Certification Solutions”

8 December | 7PM (GMT+8)

Presented by: FSC

The presentation will cover FSC’s solutions for smallholders to become certified. First, an overview of the evaluation of certification solutions for smallholders will be given. FSC’s existing solutions will be covered, with a focus on the benefits for FSC Group Certification. Next, solutions in the pipeline will be covered, addressing the impact of pilot projects and highlighting success stories.

REDD+, are carbon credits impacts overstated?  

10 December | 3PM (GMT+8)

Jointly Organized by: GIZ 

Presented by: GIZ and authors of the study

Using REDD+ projects to offset carbon emissions through avoided deforestation and the financial support of local communities is popular but also highly debated. Especially, voluntary REDD+ projects are regularly criticized as inefficient or even greenwashing. This presentation will provide an introduction to the REDD+ methodology. The authors of a recent critical study, “Overstated carbon emission reductions from voluntary REDD+ projects in the Brazilian Amazon” will then present their findings and suggestions as a basis for discussion.

The final version of Desired State V1-0 and Theory of Change will be submitted to the Executive Committee in view of approval at the General Assembly on 31st March 2020.  The Strategy & Objectives Working group is also preparing a concept of Equity working sub-group. GPSNR calls for members who wish to support in preparing the concept note for the equity sub-group, to please state your interest to GPSNR secretariat. 

Strategy 1 ‘Policy Toolbox’ Working Group drafters proposed the first draft of the policy elements and KPIs to the working members, which have now been mapped out against GPSNR 12 principles and desired state.  In order to collect the comments in a written form, members are asked to provide their comments online by January 3rd 2020. After the working group members agree on the final version of policy components, it will be submitted to the Executive Committee for comments and approval.

Strategy 2 ‘Capacity Building’ Working Group has completed a validation of their strategy against the Theory of Change.  The Working Group realizes that the situation in each country varies, so the capacity building strategy needs to be customized in its approach.  A list of stakeholders conducting capacity building activities in rubber producing countries has been finalised. The next step will be to collect inputs from the identified stakeholders in order to design GPSNR capacity building strategies.  In order to have a standardized information, the interviews will be conducted by GPSNR members in January 2020, and the result of the interview will be consolidated by GPSNR secretariat.

Strategy 3 ‘Traceability and Transparency’ Working Group – Some of the tools that the members are using for natural rubber traceability and transparency were presented during the first calls.  The next step is to start looking at Theory of Change, what are the underlying cause of lack of transparency and traceability, and how increasing transparency will contribute to the desired state.

GPSNR members can see the discussion and the minutes of each working grouop on GPSNR discussion forum. Please contact nigel@gpsnr.org for your log-in credentials.