Chinese Companies Engage in Forest Crimes in DRC

 The Environmental Investigation Agency published in October 2024 a report titled "Until the Last Log."

The report indicates that the largest industrial logging companies operating in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Chinese firms Wan Peng and Booming Green, are engaged in apparent forest crimes and corruption to meet their clients' demand for unprocessed logs. The DRC is at risk of becoming the last safe haven for forest looters in the Congo Basin region. 

Illegal Logs from Mozambique to China Help Finance Insurgency

 The Environmental Investigation Agency published on 14 May 2024 an announcement titled "Millions of Tons in Illegal Logs Shipped from Mozambique to China."

The Environmental Investigation Agency found that since 2017 an average of over 500,000 tons per year of timber has been exported from Mozambique to China in violation of the country's log export ban, and a portion of this trade also finances violent insurgents.  Chinese traders purchase "conflict timber" from Ahlu Sunnah Wal Jamaah insurgents in Cabo Delgado province and export it alongside other logs.  

China and US Complicit in Equatorial Guinea's Illegal Logging

 The Environmental Investigation Agency published in November 2023 a report titled "The Dictator's Door: From Crimes in Equatorial Guinea's Forests to Home Depot's Customers."

This report presents investigative findings that connect illegal logging of okoume logs in Equatorial Guinea and opaque processing of the logs in China with millions of doors sold to US customers via more than 750 Home Depot stores.  Once in China, the logs enter processing and veneer manufacturing supply chains so opaque that companies are often unable to trace the origin of the timber.  

War Damage to Tigray Region's Environment

 Ethiopia Insight published on 22 February 2023 a commentary titled "War and Siege Inflicted Damage on Tigray's Ecosystem" by Emnet Negash, Ghent University, and Emiru Birhane, Mekelle University.  

The war in Ethiopia's Tigray Region resulted in significant damage to agriculture, animal herds, reforestation, wildlife, and the environment generally.

Forest Resources in Tigray Region Another Victim of Ethiopia's Civil War

 Ethiopia Insight published on 11 November 2022 an article titled "Armed Conflict Has Degraded Tigray's Forest Resources" by an anonymous author.  

Another casualty of Ethiopia's civil war has been the destruction of Tigray Region's forest resources due to artillery shelling and the plundering of nurseries and forest seed centers.  

Chinese Influence in Africa (French and English)

 The Institut Francais des Relations Internationales published on 6 October 2022 an issue titled "Les influences chinoises en Afrique: Mythes et realities des relations economiques."

For many African governments, China represents a viable alternative to Africa's traditional donors and trading partners.  Nevertheless, the relationship between China and Africa is not characterized by mutual interdependence, but rather by a renewed economic and financial asymmetry.  The articles in this issue highlight the diversity of Chinese economic actors and Chinese trade, investment, and loan policies in Africa.

The issue contains the following articles:

--En Afrique, "La Chine Fait Ca", "Les Chinois Font Ci" by Thierry Pairault. 

--Economic Relations between Africa and China: What to Watch for by Alicia Garcia Herrero.

--The Chinese Presence in DR Congo's Mining Sector: From Greenfield to Brownfield Investments by Johanna Malm.

--Les Entreprises Forestieres Chinoises en Afrique Centrale by Alain Karsenty.  

Chinese Timber Companies in Mozambique Destabilize Northern Region

 War on the Rocks published on 23 September 2021 a commentary titled "Al-Shabaab and Chinese Trade Practices in Mozambique" by Henry Tugendhat and Sergio Chichava.  

China's limited action and inability to control illegal timber practices by Chinese companies in Mozambique's Cabo Delgado region are fundamentally destabilizing a state that needs more support.  

Chinese Forest-risk Financing

 The Rainforest Action Network commissioned a report titled "Chinese Banks' Forest-risk Financing: Financial Flows and Client Risks."

The report provides an overview of the financing of forest-risk companies engaged in six deforestation-risk commodities in Brazil, Central and West Africa, and Southeast Asia by Chinese financial institutions, which are the second largest financiers of forest-risk companies covered by the database.  Between January 2016 and April 2020, Chinese financial institutions provided about $15 billion in forest-risk loans and underwriting services.  Central and West Africa accounted for $2.8 billion of this total, mainly for rubber and timber.  

China's Bauxite Deal with Ghana Encounters Environmental Opposition

Peace FM Online posted on 15 January 2020 an article titled "A Rocha Ghana, 20 CSOs Sue Ghana Gov't over Atewa Bauxite Mining."

The government of Ghana entered into a barter agreement with China to mine Ghana's bauxite in the Atewa forest reserve in exchange for $2 billion in infrastructure development. An environmental protection group, A Rocha Ghana, and 20 civil society groups have sued the government of Ghana in an attempt to stop it from allowing the Atewa forest reserve to be mined for bauxite.

Zambian Officials and Chinese Businessmen Illegally Export Rosewood to China

The Environmental Investigation Agency recently published a report titled "Mukula Cartel: How Timber Tafficking Networks Plunder Zambian Forests."

Senior Zambian officials have reportedly orchestrated and facilitated massive trafficking operations that are driving mukula rosewood trees to the edge of commercial extinction, devastating vulnerable forests, and threatening communities' livelihoods. The State-owned company Zambia Forestry and Forest Industries Corporation Limited (ZAFFICO) is secretly used as a cover for well-connected Zambian officials and Chinese business operators to export thousands of mukula logs, despite a ban on their export. The overwhelming majority of the logs goes to China. This expose quotes Chinese entrepreneurs who engage in bribery to facilitate the exports.

China in Cameroon's Forests

The International Institute for Environment and Development published in 2019 a major report titled "China in Cameroon's Forests: A Review of Issues and Progress for Livelihoods and Sustainability" by James Mayers, Samuel Nguiffo, and Samuel Assembe-Mvondo.

China is Cameroon's biggest timber buyer and prefers raw logs, which account for about 85 percent of the total volume of timber exported to China. Chinese trade and investments in the forest sector have led to unsustainable practices by some companies, illegal logging, violation of laws, and poverty among the rural population.

China in Mozambique's Forests

The Institute for Environment and Development published in 2018 a major study titled "China in Mozambique's Forests: A Review of Issues and Progress for Livelihoods and Sustainability" edited by Duncan Macqueen.

China is the destination for about 93 percent of all Mozambique's timber exports. Concerns have been raised over the impact of these patterns of investment and trade for Mozambique's forests and the development of rural populations. This study compiles three years of work of the China-Africa Governance Project to develop evidence on constraints and opportunities for forest resources in productive and resilient land use and trade, to develop capacity and dialogue among relevant stakeholders in China and Mozambique, and to deliver policy and practice improvement opportunities.

China-Africa Forestry Cooperation

The International Institute for Environment and Development, which works in China, Cameroon, DRC, Mozambique, and Uganda, posted on 20 November 2017 the presentations from its October 2017 fourth international meeting in Mozambique of the China-Africa Forest Governance Learning Platform.

The posting includes the following slide presentations:

--Changes in China's Policy and Actions on China-Africa Forest Products Trade.
--Opportunities and Challenges for Chinese Timber Businesses in the Congo Basin.
--Insights of Chinese Forestry Investment in Zambia - Opportunities and Challenges.
--Zanzibar Declaration on Illegal Trade in Timber and Other Forest Products: Progress Made.
--Mozambique-China Cooperation on Forest and Timber Issues: Progress Made.
--NGOs Work in Cameroon with Companies Exporting Timber to China: Lessons Learned.
--Private Sector View of the Changes in Mozambique.
--Government View of Forest Sector Changes in Mozambique.
--Sustainable Processing of Wood in Uganda and the Chinese Market: Opportunities and Challenges.
--Forest Investment Program Support for the Forest Sector in Mozambique.
--China's Training Aid for African Forestry: Progress, Problems and Prospects.

EU, China, Africa Cooperation on Climate Change

The German Development Institute published in August 2017 a report titled "A New Climate Trilateralism? Opportunities for Cooperation Between the EU, China and African Countries on Addressing Climate Change" by Moritz Weigel and Alexander Demissie.

The paper emphasizes that trilateral cooperation between the EU, China and African countries should be guided by Africa's priorities. It proposes that trilateral cooperation initially focus on renewable energy.

China-Africa Forest Trade and Investment

The International Institute for Environment and Development published in October 2016 a study titled "China-Africa Forest Trade and Investment: An Overview with Analysis for Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Mozambique and Uganda" by Andreas Wilkes.

The study provides an overview of trends, evidence and issues related to the impacts on forests of Chinese investments in Cameroon, DRC, Mozambique and Uganda. It explains Chinese overseas investment policies and presents data on trends in forest-related trade and investment in these four countries. It highlights issues of concern and opportunities for engaging with Chinese and African stakeholders to support improved forest governance.

Chinese Capital Drives Deforestation in Cameroon

The Standard Tribune in Cameroon published on 21 October 2015 a report titled "Chinese Capital Drives Deforestation in Cameroon" by Kingsley M. Nfor.

China has become the largest foreign investor in Cameroon.  Nfor reports that these investments are fuelling the illegal exploitation of forests in Cameroon to satisfy Asian demand. 

Social and Environmental Impacts of Chinese Overseas Investment

Yale's School of Forestry and the Environment has released a summary of the conference proceedings of the 2nd Yale Symposium on Chinese Overseas Investment and Its Environmental and Social Impacts that took place at Yale University on 3-4 April 2015. 

The Environmental Impact of China's Investment in Africa

The Yale University School of Forestry and Environmental Studies hosted a conference on 4 April 2015 on Chinese Overseas Investment and Its Environmental and Social Impacts.  I was asked to give a presentation on "The Environmental Impact of China's Investment in Africa."  The remarks are a summary of a much longer paper still under revision that will be published early in 2016 in the Cornell International Law Journal. 

On 8 April 2015 the International Policy Digest published a shortened version of my remarks at Yale.

Zambia and the Chinese Timber Trade

International Forestry Review recently published an article titled "Rural Livelihoods and the Chinese Timber Trade in Zambia's Western Province" by P. Asanzi, L. Putzel, D. Gumbo and M. Mupeta.  It concluded that both Chinese and non-Chinese logging companies bring limited benefits to rural communities.  Non-Chinese logging companies provided more local employment opportunities but Chinese logging companies outbid their non-Chinese counterparts in the local timber market, providing greater opportunities to small-scale loggers.   

China-Zambia Economic Relations

The Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) just published a study titled "The Developmental Implications of Sino-African Economic and Political Relations: A Preliminary Assessment for the Case of Zambia" by George Schoneveld, Laura German, and Davison Gumbo. 

The study concludes that China's investments have made a valuable contribution to Zambia's struggling economic recovery.  It did identify concerns over conflicts between Chinese companies and their employees and Chinese environmental practices in remote parts of the country.