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Timber plantations in permanent forest reserves are not considered deforestation, plantation and commodities Malaysian minister Johari Ghani told the Dewan Rakyat (the lower house of the Malaysian parliament). Source: Free Malaysia Today He said the government considered such plantations as forest since the land use remained unchanged and trees were replanted after harvest. Johari also said states were allowed to log and replant only a small portion of reserves at a time, capped at 5% of the total area. He said Malaysia would honour its pledge to the United Nations to keep half of its land under forest cover. “We are at 54.3% (forest cover) today, so we’re still within our limit,” he said. He said loans had been provided to support timber plantations under the industrial timber plantation (ITP) scheme, with repayment due when harvesting begins, usually after 15 to 20 years. As of June 30, some 259,654ha of reserves had been converted into plantations, of which 67.5% had already been replanted. He was responding to a question by Ku Abd Rahman Ku Ismail (PN-Kubang Pasu), who had asked about the progress of ITPs, the extent of deforestation involved, and their impact on the environment and ecosystem. Johari said that clearing forests for oil palm was not allowed as such crops would not meet global sustainability standards and could not be exported. He also rejected claims that ITPs were monoculture projects, saying various species such as acacia, rubber and teak are being planted. “The key rule is to keep replanting after each cycle so that forest cover is maintained in the long term,” he said. On the timber trade, Johari said raw log exports remained prohibited. “Logs must be processed locally before export, such as into furniture,” he said. Imported logs are permitted, but only from certified sustainable sources to protect Malaysia’s export certification. He was responding to a question by Tan Hong Pin (PH-Bakri) on whether logs from Malaysian forests were being exported directly overseas.

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China’s central bank said on Monday it has issued a notice jointly with two other government departments, outlining 15 targeted measures to leverage financial strength to drive high-quality forestry development. Source: China Daily The People’s Bank of China (PBOC) said that the measures, raised jointly with the National Financial Regulatory Administration and the National Forestry and Grassland Administration, involve five aspects. These aspects include enhancing financial services for collective forest tenure reform, strengthening financial safeguards for critical forestry strategies, and increasing financial investment for the forestry industry’s high-quality development. The notice placed a strong emphasis on innovation in forest rights mortgage lending, advocating for an expanded scope of mortgageable forest rights, legally compliant loan term extensions, and overall improvements in loan quality, quantity, and accessibility. It further specifies that the three departments will enhance financing coordination for national reserve forest projects, streamline loan approval processes, and facilitate the transformation of ecological resources into ecological capital. Going forward, efforts will focus on improving the quality and efficiency of financial services for collective forest tenure reform in order to support the high-quality development of the forestry sector, according to the PBOC.

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The Two Sides Trend Tracker is a biennial global survey and one of the most comprehensive studies into consumer perceptions of print, paper, and paper-based packaging. Commissioned by Two Sides and conducted by independent research company Toluna, the study was carried out online in January 2025. Source: Timberbiz In its latest edition, the research gathered responses from 12,400 consumers across 17 countries including national representative insights from Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom, as well as Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, the United States. Across Europe, a growing number of organisations are encouraging customers to transition from paper to digital communications, often citing environmental benefits. However, many of these claims lack evidence and fall under the definition of greenwashing – the use of misleading environmental messaging to justify cost-saving decisions. The Trend Tracker survey reveals that 56% of European consumers recognise the primary motivation for service providers switching their customer communications to digital is to reduce costs, not to help the environment, an increase from 49% in 2021. Furthermore, 65% believe they should not be charged more for choosing paper bills or statements, a figure that has risen steadily from 54% in 2021. The right to choose remains important for many, 76% of European consumers (up from 74% in 2021) agree they should have the right to choose between paper and electronic communications, especially when dealing with financial and service providers. This choice is not only about preference but about accessibility, ensuring that those who cannot easily access digital services are not left behind. “The Trend Tracker survey is a vital tool for understanding how consumer perceptions are shifting across a wide range of topics related to print, paper, packaging, and tissue products. “Unlike earlier editions, where the COVID-19 pandemic introduced dramatic swings in opinion, this year’s findings reveal a steadier and more consistent view across Europe. Encouragingly, we’ve seen modest improvements in public understanding, but the survey also highlights some persistent misconceptions that the industry must continue to address,” said Jonathan Tame, Managing Director, Two Sides. Focus Areas of the 2025 Survey: Environmental perceptions of paper, print, and fibre-based products Preferences for printed or digital communication Attitudes toward packaging and sustainable alternatives Consumer views on tissue product use and manufacturing Two Sides is a global not-for-profit, membership organisation promoting the unique sustainable and attractive attributes of print, paper, and paper-based packaging. You can download a summary paper here.

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