FSC chambers update

Environmental Chamber

The environmental chamber includes the strong global NGOs WWF and Greenpeace, who often take the lead in discussions. The chamber went through the entire list of motions and voted on them – or decided if further clarification is needed. Then the motions were grouped according to topics. Chamber working groups have been established to deal with motions covering governance, controlled wood, CB performance and smallholder certification, areas considered as top priorities for the chamber.
 

Social chamber

This is the smallest FSC chamber and does not possess the resources and global drivers known from the two other chambers. Furthermore, the chamber includes a very broad range of stakeholders ranging from trade unions to community organisations and indigenous peoples’ organisations.

A key topic for the chamber is to ensure a more active involvement of indigenous peoples’ organisations including a motion to rewrite principle 3 covering indigenous peoples’ rights. Other key topics are motions related to certification of small private operations and community forests as well as including social issues in Chain of Custody certification.
 

Economic chamber

With 32 motions submitted, the Economic Chamber has proposed than half of the total number of motions submitted for this general assembly. Many motions are submitted by companies or organisations with specific technical problems to fulfil certain FSC requirements, e.g. related to controlled wood and pesticide use.

Controlled wood is the absolute top priority for the economic chamber, however internally opinions are divided over the issue: most companies from the South want to strengthen or phase out these rules, while most Northern companies find the rules much too strict. The second priority of the economic chamber is FSC and carbon, and the third concerns the role of FSC National Initiatives.
 

Democracy - the FSC way:

As a consensus seeking organisation, FSC has developed a very advanced system for submitting and voting on motions at the FSC general assembly. The purpose of the voting procedures is to ensure that no interest group can dominate the decision making process.

All FSC members are divided into 3 chambers – the environmental, social and economic chamber, according to their background. In order for a motion to be approved, it needs to have more than 2/3 of all votes and more than 50 pct in each chamber.

Thus, one chamber will not be able to push motions through without support from other chambers. This system forces all interest groups to negotiate and seek compromises with stakeholders from the two other chambers. This ensures broad support for all proposals accepted by the General Assembly.