New pathways for reducing global illegal logging

The negative impacts of illegal logging and associated trade (ILAT) on forest carbon and species biodiversity have been widely recognized for decades. Despite several decades of attempts to halt illegal logging through policies such as those advocated by the European Union (The Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade, FLEGT), there has been limited success to date. Now, with newly changing perspectives about ILAT, advances in methods for detecting ILAT and its environmental impacts, and an ostensibly improved policy environment for controlling it, we have a unique opportunity to stop it. This policy brief brings attention to this timely and important issue and provides some direction for enhancing monitoring, assessing impacts, and implementing urgent actions.