Within the program of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) General Assembly 2008, FSC invites interested parties to attend a truly unique and timely event – a two-day forest conference at the Cape Town International Convention Center (CTICC). The Forest Conference is an opportunity to participate in the fifth General Assembly of members (GA), and a chance to hear from some of today’s most respected experts on critical issues facing the world’s forests. Business, environmental and social leaders representing stakeholders from more than 60 countries will gather in Cape Town from November 3 – 7 to address and improve forest management around the globe. It will provide further forum for diverse audiences and participants to share perspectives, ideas and solutions. A dynamic lineup of speakers and themes will complement the formal business sessions of the General Assembly of Members – the FSC’s highest decision making body.
The Forest Conference promises to be an engaging opportunity for anyone interested in the health of the world’s forests and the important role that they have in social, economic and environmental systems. This exceptional event will begin on Tuesday 4 November with opening remarks from FSC Board of Directors Chair Roberto Waack and FSC Executive Director Andre de Freitas. Four distinct yet interconnected themes will resonate throughout the conference sessions engaging participants in both regional and global forest issues. The first day of the conference will proceed under two themes: People and Forests in Africa and Forests and Climate Change and Carbon.
The morning session will explore the unique challenges facing forest management in Africa. The afternoon session will build understanding on recent developments related to forests and climate change. Speakers on Tuesday will include, among others, representatives from Tropical Forest Trust, IFIA, WWF, Dinite Pygmes, Climateforideas.org, Working Lands Investment Partners and Chicago Climate Exchange (CCX) Forest Committee. In the evening, participants are invited to a welcome dinner featuring exquisite regional food and entertainment.
The second day of the conference will explore two more vital forest themes: The future of the FSC Brand and The future of multi-stakeholder organisations. The first session on Wednesday will investigate the market position of FSC, addressing critical questions and discussing how to meet the needs of FSC customers over the next five years. The final forest conference session will facilitate a discussion on governance of multi-stakeholder service organizations and build support for the current FSC Governance Review. A dynamic lineup of speakers on Wednesday will include, among others, representatives from ISEAL, Global Action Network and more. Visit http://www.fsc.org/ga_register.htmlor contact FSC at ga2008@fsc.org.
