Rising powers conceptual framework.

China accounts for nearly 40% of soybean consumption. Latin America is the largest exporter. DIRECT IMPACT: because of this trade an increase of revenue for their exports=POSITIVE-SUM impact.As more land is needed and taken over for this production of soybeans on a large scale, an INDIRECT ZERO-SUM IMPACT of this demand is felt by small-scale farmers in Latin American countries (Brazil, Argentina) - being displaced, unemployment and also the impact this has on the environment..

From Gabon’s perspective, the evolution of the EU and the Chinese markets has had major consequences for the direction and nature of its timber exports. Beginning with the direction of exports, China has now become the dominant global importer of tropical hardwoods as EU economies have moved to the import of processed woods and become increasingly concerned about the sustainability of global hardwood reserves. Buyers from China tend to place a premium on low price and large volumes. They are generally less concerned with specific varieties than are the EU buyers, and also show particularly low preferences for environmental compliance and the quality of the logs, which they are purchasing. Specifically with respect to environmental standards, Chinese buyers make very few demands from Gabonese suppliers, particularly in comparison to EU buyers.Until very recently, Gabon’s timber sector was unregulated and out of the political focus. But with the growth of environmental concerns about climate change, the timber industry has become a subject of increasing regulation, both within and outside of Gabon. In the light of decreasing oil production and following pressure from external donors that Gabon regulates this key resource to use it as a primary driver of industrial diversification, the state introduced a sectoral programme for forests, fisheries, and the environment, involving major reforms of the forestry sector. This included the abolition of the state-owned export monopoly and the introduction of a new legislative framework, the Forestry Code, in 2001. The overall focus shifted from raw material extraction towards the industrialisation of the forestry sector through increasing domestic processing of sustainably-managed forests.

Soybeans

Gabon timber