RUSSIAN and Belarusian timber has been banned from use in all PEFC-certified products following the invasion of Ukraine.
Wood from the two nations was designated as "conflict timber" after an extraordinary meeting of the organisation's board last week.
It comes as delegates at the United Nations, including the UK, voted to deplore "in the strongest terms the aggression by the Russian Federation against Ukraine […] [and] the involvement of Belarus”.
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PEFC-certified materials are now increasingly requested by a growing number of forest product users, with countries such as Germany and the USA among those signed up to the charter.
A PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification) statement read: "PEFC is extremely concerned about the Russian government's attack on Ukraine.
"The military invasion is in direct opposition to our core values. This aggression causes unspeakable and unacceptable pain and death to innocent people, including women and children.
"It also has an immediate and long-term destructive impact on the environment, on forests, and on the many people that depend on forests for their livelihoods.
"The clarification that timber from Russia and Belarus is conflict timber follows an extraordinary meeting by the PEFC International Board to discuss Mr Putin's military aggression against Ukraine and its implications for PEFC and PEFC-certified forest owners and companies."
Since Russia invaded its neighbour last month, thousands of people have lost their lives and millions displaced. It's also had an impact on the timber industry, with forecasts of a stable year reined in amid the ongoing uncertainty.
A number of forestry firms, including Ponsse, have also suspended all trade in and out of the nation.
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The PEF statement continued: "The categorisation of timber from Russia and Belarus as conflict timber follows the adoption of the Resolution on Aggression against Ukraine by the United Nations General Assembly, which 'deplores in the strongest terms the aggression by the Russian Federation against Ukraine […] [and] the involvement of Belarus'.
"The PEFC International Board continues to monitor the situation and will consider additional measures as necessary."
Conflict timber is timber that has been traded at some point in the chain of custody by armed groups, be they rebel factions or regular soldiers, or by a civilian administration involved in armed conflict or its representatives, either to perpetuate conflict or take advantage of conflict situations for personal gain.
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