Bruce Cabarble,Managing Director of Global Forest Program of WWF:

I think the China Wood Sustainable Development Action Plan, specifically the Green Wood Industry Initiative is important because even though this is focusing on China, there are a lot of countries countries that are involved in this initiative and a lot is depending upon what happens here in China. I agree with the comment that was made earlier about this being a historical moment, because China has never played a larger role in the global economy than it does today. From what I have learned that 30% of the volume that is consumed in the country comes from imports, so there is going to be immediate linkage there with countries from which China is importing.

Through the Action Plan, we can work with companies as well as help to educate them about how they can bring social,environmental considerations into their forest business structures. We can also offer very practical tools that help ones go about evaluating where the risks are in business models, and in supply chains, and how do we begin to manage those proactively into transform and assess them. Another point very important of this Action Plan is that we can bring together partnerships from NGOs,governments, and private business sectors, being able to communicate much more effectively and much further, most importantly with much more credibility than a company could be able to do just by itself.

Besides, fully 50% of your production is then exported, so your impact in your country is just as big as your impact outside your country. So I think there is a historical opportunity for China to play a leadership role in the global forest product trade. China may actually be the country that is the most integrative with the forest product trade of the other countries. I like what Mr. Li said about being responsible for yourself first. So the challenge is how you then express your responsibility. I think the first step is to express transparency, having transparency I think you earn trust. 

I also have been very heartened about the story about what the Chinese business leaders are doing with regard to legality, but more importantly with the sustainability in using as a business objective. Unfortunately not much of the world knows that. So I think the second challenge is how do you find your voice and how do you communicate credibly with the rest of the world so that they know what you are doing. 

I think the Green Wood Industry Initiative is very important first step in that process, as many of you the most important of any journey is the first step.This could be your first step. I think the challenge is what will be the second step.I would urge you to find your voice, take the second step, be the hero, and we will be there to help you to be the hero.