Theoretical and methodological framework for the analysis of international forest political processes by stakeholders´ perceptions at national level

Lenka Halušková,Jaroslav Šálka,Zuzana Dobšinská

doi:10.2478/forj-2021-0015

Abstract

Abstract Forests cover about 30% of the world´s land area and provide people and nature with essential ecosystem services and goods. Despite their importance, forests continue to be degraded. A variety of international forest governance and policy arrangements have developed to foster protection and sustainability of forests. However, number of studies point to nonexistence of a global forest policy regime per se, and growing institutional fragmentation of forest governance arrangements. In line with continuing priority of national sovereignty in the international regulation of forest policy, the role of domestic policies, mainly domestic forest policy actors, is considered central to international forest governance analysis by many researchers. The paper aimed to set the framework for the international forest policy analysis by domestic forestry stakeholders´ perceptions. The dimensions of Policy Arrangements Approach modified for purpose of meeting the nature of research, serve as theoretical foundations. In the first part, the paper aim to define dimensions theoretically. In the second part, specific international forest-focused political processes are described through adapted dimensions. The two steps serve as the basis for research to be subsequently applied in selected European countries.

Highlights

The 1980s experienced growing concern of international community about the destruction of tropical forests due to over-exploitation for timber production, cattle ranching and agriculture shifting, as well as loss and degradation of temperate and boreal forests due to poor forest management and pollution caused by industrial development (Sotirov et al 2020)
For purpose of our analysis, the modified Policy Arrangements Approach (PAA) consist of five dimensions as follows: –– actors involved in the policy domain and their coalitions, –– the division of power and influence between the actors, –– the rules of the game in terms of formal and informal rules and routine, –– the policy discourses and programmes, including norms and values (Arts & Leroy & van Tatenhove 2006), –– interactions between international and national level of forest policy
The motivation of countries to actively participate in the creation of non-binding policy principles in the forestry sector may be the level of environmental regulation and tradition of forest policy in the country, or the effort to create the rules of current forest “soft policy” with a view to possible transformation to “hard policy” in the future

Summary

Introduction

The 1980s experienced growing concern of international community about the destruction of tropical forests due to over-exploitation for timber production, cattle ranching and agriculture shifting, as well as loss and degradation of temperate and boreal forests due to poor forest management and pollution caused by industrial development (Sotirov et al 2020). Several initiatives and policy documents of voluntary type have been in place within international context of forest policy, i.e. Forest Principles, Chapter 11 of Agenda 21, United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF), United Nations Non-Legally Binding Instrument on All Types of Forests, New York Declaration on Forests, UN Strategic Plan for Forests, Sustainable Forest Management criteria and indicator (SFM C&I) regional processes and forest management certification schemes at the global scale (Sotirov et al 2020), and National Forest Programmes (NFPs) or the EU Forest Strategy at the European one (Edwards & Kleinschmit 2013). For purpose of our analysis, the modified PAA consist of five dimensions as follows: –– actors involved in the policy domain and their coalitions, –– the division of power (resources) and influence (policy outcomes determination) between the actors, –– the rules of the game in terms of formal and informal rules and routine, –– the policy discourses and programmes, including norms and values (Arts & Leroy & van Tatenhove 2006), –– interactions between international and national level of forest policy (added by the authors)

Theoretical background

International forest political processes

Findings

Further application of framework