The truth inside the wood. Can Genetic Analysis Help Us Win The Fight Against Illegal Timber Trade?

Sammanfattning: Illegal timber harvest and trade is one of the main challenges in the context of global deforestation and sustainability. Different governance and self-governance initiatives throughout the history with the aim to regulate global forest commons have received plenty of criticism. This research investigates the potential of genetic timber tracking technologies as a tool to enhance existing systems and achieve legality verification of timber at international, and local context. Literature review, personal interviews, correspondence, observations are the main methods used to identify the limitations of existing systems and context at which genetic methods can assist them. The obtained results are then applied to the context of Costa Rica as a case study analysis. Ineffectiveness, lack of enforcement resources, corruption, narrow focus, transparency are identified as the main loopholes of the systems responsible for assuring legality of the traded timber. The analysis of genetic timber tracking technologies has led to understanding that species identity, origin of timber and integrity of the supply chain can be verified. Through a modified application of the TIS framework recent regulations in the USA, EU, and Australia are identified as the main drivers and current costs as the main barrier for wide application of the technology. As for the Costa Rican case, forms and reasons of illegality at timber harvesting, processing, transport and export phases were revealed. The analysis within the PESTLE framework helped to assess overall feasibility of applying the technology at the national legality verification system of Costa Rica. By means of interviews main drivers and barriers for the application of technology in Costa Rica were identified and evaluated. It is argued that despite of a favourable environment and political will, transaction costs and incomplete structure of the system inhibits the application of the technology in the country. Although the technology offers great possibilities, its success will ultimately depend on the local context, readiness of the system and the abilities of the people operating it.