USGBC and LEED benchmark
See April 19, 2010 press release
“Earth Day Founder Speaks Out: All Certified Wood is Not Equal”
March 10, 2010
Open Letter from FSC-US President Corey Brinkema
Re: USGBC’s Third Draft of the Forest Certification Benchmark and Actions to be Taken
On February 22, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) made public a third draft of its Forest Certification Benchmark and proposed changes to the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) MRc7 credit for certified wood. We at the Forest Stewardship Council would like to see the USGBC complete and approve a strong benchmark and related MRc7 credit revisions that reward forest managers who practice truly exemplary forestry. Regrettably, this draft does not achieve that.
Among other failings, the current proposal: 1) reduces the required number of optional credits from 40% to zero; 2) provides no further details on the crucial process of how certification systems will be compared to the benchmark (i.e., “conformance assessment”); 3) permits certification systems to be governed by special interests and without open and transparent membership and decision-making bodies; and 4) fails to ensure adequate protections for indigenous peoples and public consultation, and has a disturbingly narrow definition of legality for non-certified materials. A more detailed version of our concerns is provided here.
We respectfully ask fellow proponents of forest stewardship to submit their comments on the proposed changes to ensure that USGBC does not surrender to pressure from the timber industry to reward status quo conventional forestry. Here is what you can do:
- Make your voice heard. Review and comment on the third draft of USGBC's Forest Certification Benchmark by this coming Sunday, March 14th. You need not be a USGBC member to express your opinion but you must register your contact information with the USGBC. A strong rebuke of the proposed weakening of the MRc7 Certified Wood credit is needed now.
- Prepare to vote. If you are a USGBC member, you must opt in to the consensus body by Wednesday March 24th to be eligible to vote on the final proposed benchmark and MRc7 credit revision. We also ask you to encourage fellow USGBC members to do the same.
- Monitor the final stages of this process closely. The details of the benchmark and credit revision are critically important. If the ballot proposal fails to adequately protect our forests and forest communities, USGBC members have the ability to vote down the proposed changes to LEED. FSC-US will contact you to make our actual voting recommendation known once a final USGBC ballot becomes public (anticipated in April).
Background
Failings of the Third Draft of the Forest Certification Benchmark
Legal Attack by Conventional Industry
We also hope that USGBC and its members will not be intimidated by threats of antitrust claims to prevent it from adopting a rigorous benchmark. Nothing in antitrust law prohibits USGBC from imposing rigorous standards at the conclusion of this lengthy and open process, after taking into account the views of interested parties. More details here.
FSC in North America
FSC-US would like to set the record straight following a string of false and misleading statements about FSC made by the Sustainable Forestry Initiative and others who have a stake in the USGBC Forest Certification Benchmark. Here's what you should know.
Summary
We urge you once again to make your voice heard, and ask USGBC to keep their bar for exemplary forestry high, especially now during this time of accelerating demand for higher standards for environmental and social responsibility. USGBC and LEED’s reputation are at stake, not to mention the health and well-being of forests and forest communities in North America and around the world.
Thank you!
For more information contact: Corey Brinkema, 612.812.1500; cbrinkema@fscus.org
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