The International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) promotes the sustainable management and conservation of tropical forests and the expansion and diversification of international trade in tropical timber. ITTO contracted UNIQUE to conduct a study on the extent of a projected potential supply-demand gap for sustainable tropical timber to 2050. The study identified future hotspots of for tropical timber supply deficits and revealed that there will be a mismatch of required wood qualities and available resources. Alternative scenarios and country case studies were developed to showcase pathways for sustainable tropical timber supply to meet future market demand. This study helps to guide the scope and type of incentives proposed to countries with the aim to ensure sustainable supplies for their timber sectors.

• Review of the sustainable wood supply situation in major tropical timber producing and consuming regions.
• Forecast of timber supply and demand for the main wood product groups.
• Scenario analysis of the future supply-demand situation and corresponding socio-economic impacts.
• Analysis of the current and future forest resources base for tropical timber.
• Analysis of alternative timber resources, i.e. agroforestry and trees outside of forests.
• Country case studies to identify strategies to incentivize sustainable tropical timber production.