Islands Adrift

Because of increased demand for the Pacific’s forest products, the last two decades have seen a rapid growth in the Asian timber industry. Due in part to the enormous profitability of the sector and the development aspirations of Pacific governments and peoples, a small group of timber companies has obtained inordinate influence over national timber policies. At the same time, the share of state revenue derived from taxing the timber industry has increased rapidly, influencing government priorities in a way that has not always served the long-term interests of the environment and local people.