The FSC’s 2021 virtual General Assembly will be held from 25 to 29 October 2021

A FSC General Assembly in two parts

The General Assembly, FSC's principle decision-making platform, usually takes place every three years. Members from the economic, social and environmental chambers come together to vote on proposed motions and shape the future of FSC work and responsible forestry.

Due to the coronavirus crisis. the FSC General Assembly, which was previously scheduled for October 2020 in Bali, Indonesia, had to be postponed. The FSC Board of Directors decided to hold the event in two parts: a virtual assembly in October 2021 and an in-person assembly in October 2022.

FSC's General Assembly

The FSC’s 2021 virtual General Assembly

Next week, from 25 to 29 October 2021, the first part of FSC GA will take place virtually. It will include discussions about:

• 12 motions as prioritized by the chambers, through chamber and cross-chamber meetings (to be voted online until 30^th November),
• business reports by the Board of Directors and Director General,
• report on the motions adopted in 2017 FSC General Assembly,
• side events will also be organised on topics such as climate change, Focus Forests, indigenous issues, remote auditing, system integrity, community & family forests, FSC & the Global Biodiversity agenda, etc.

This virtual assembly is open to all, whether you are FSC members or not (as observer). FSC members have access to all discussion sessions and can vote on motions, and observers can attend everything including side events, except chambers meetings (and cannot vote).

Click here to register

Click here for the program

Side Event Focus Forests project

The Focus Forests project initiated in early 2021 by FSC has become a preparatory initiative for the GA 2021/2022, aiming at finding innovative solutions for the management of forests with high social and environmental values. Behind this project, there is above all a deep reflection desired by the FSC to seek solutions that would make it possible to break the deadlock of Motion 65 concerning the management of IFLs, and to approach the debate on a macro scale, therefore also outside the concessions themselves (see news).

This workshop will update members on the Focus Forest project (including results of the consultation on the Green Paper and the preparations of the trial projects for landscapes dialogues in tropical and boreal forests). It will also discuss hoe the work on Focus Forests relates to FSC’s work on Intact Forest landscapes.

ATIBT and its members gets involved in the FSC GA

FSC-certified companies in the Congo Basin, as well as the ATIBT, are for the most part members of FSC and must actively participate in the next FSC General Assembly 2021/2022, in order to be a force of proposal and to influence decisions, particularly concerning the application of Motion 65 on Intact Forest Landscapes (IFL). This motion, which has been a source of disagreement since 2014, is an obstacle for some potentially certifiable companies to their desire for FSC certification (particularly in the DRC).

With a view to the FSC GA, the ATIBT and its members have tabled several motions offering different approaches that aim to stimulate discussions on the evolution of Motion 65 and its application. These motions will be presented at the GA 2022.

The ATIBT has also followed up on the outcome of Motion 34 (passed at the 2017 GA), calling for impact assessments of Motion 65.

Through the certification commission and its dedicated IFL Group, ATIBT will assist to the FSC GA, and will present during the Focus Forests project side event.

For more information, please contact Caroline Duhesme.