Press conference of the Global Legal & Sustainable Timber Forum 2023
The Global Legal & Sustainable Timber Forum 2023 (GLSTF 2023) successfully concluded today (22 November). The two-day event featured a main forum, specialised sub-forums and parallel activities presented by international organisations in the industry, attracting 700 guests from 36 countries and regions. The outputs of two international collaborative research projects were released and two co-operation agreements were signed during the event, facilitating the recovery and sustainable development of the global timber industry and establishing an exchange and collaboration platform for the industry while demonstrating Macao’s advantages in hosting international specialised exhibitions and conferences of new forms.
Building an exchange and collaboration platform for the global timber industry
During the closing press conference at GLSTF 2023, Executive Director of the International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) Sheam Satkuru, remarked that a strong global network to strengthen co-operation and share knowledge and experience of sustainable timber production and supply is essential for legal and sustainable forest and supply chain management, so that the industry can seize opportunities and realise long-term recovery. GLSTF 2023, held for the first time in Macao, has provided a vital platform for building this global network. The participants of the two-day forum reached consensus on a number of issues, including networking and building partnerships, supporting the development of legal and sustainable timber supply chains, and the important role of the Global Timber Index, and they called for joint efforts to drive the recovery of the global timber industry and build a global legal and sustainable timber forum. The Macao platform targets the global timber market, including Portuguese-speaking countries. This forum is a good start and it is hoped that more countries will establish a presence in the mainland Chinese market by participating in the forum.
Executive Director of the Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute (IPIM) Sam Lei said that Macao has expanded its international influence and enriched its role as a platform between China and Portuguese-speaking countries by hosting this high-level forum. This event attracted representatives of numerous enterprises and organisations from Brazil, the world’s largest exporter of tropical timber, and suppliers and professionals from China, the world’s largest timber consumer, to discuss business opportunities for sustainable timber development, enhancing co-operation between China and Portuguese-speaking countries in building a sustainable timber industry. He further stated that GLSTF 2023 has contributed to the development of Macao’s MICE industry and its peripheral industries, boosted the integration of sustainable development and the MICE industry, and played an active role in guiding Macao’s green, diversified, and international development.
Secretary-General of the Global Green Supply Chains Initiative (GGSC) Luo Xinjian pointed out that Macao boasts advanced MICE facilities and an attracting cultural environment, making it an ideal place for large-scale international events. Professionals from the global timber industry gathered here at GLSTF 2023 to share their views on important issues such as the recovery and sustainable development of the timber industry. She said that the international organisations, enterprises, institutes, and other participants in the forum all spoke highly of the event, and also expressed her hope that GGSC will further enrich the experience of holding conferences and inject more vitality into the global timber industry through participation in related activities in the future.
Showcasing Macao’s strengths and achievements in hosting international specialised exhibitions and conferences for greater business opportunities
A main forum, four specialised sub-forums and a number of parallel activities were held during the two-day event, bringing together 700 representatives from government departments, well-known timber enterprises, international organisations and research institutes in 36 countries and regions. These representatives discussed key issues such as the world timber trade, forest carbon sinks, green finance, advanced timber technology and equipment, climate change, and timber utilisation, and explored the major challenges hindering the prosperity and revival of the global timber industry. They also made proposals for establishing a co-operation platform for the global timber industry, building partnerships, and further improving the legal and sustainable timber supply chains. In addition, an exhibition area was set up at the venue to display timber products, small timber building materials, and more.
The outputs of a number of major international collaborative research projects were released for the first time at this year’s forum, including “About the Construction of the Global Timber Industry Index Platform” and the “Research on the Collaborative Operations of the Blockchain-Based Timber Traceability System”. These outputs have provided the latest business information and digital technology support for the global timber industry’s sustainable development, and offered a wealth of practical experience in international collaborative projects for universities and research institutes in Macao, which will help cultivate professionals in related fields in Macao. Moreover, there were also concurrent business matching sessions to create global business opportunities.
