Brazil’s new online platform now lets buyers from China and elsewhere, trace the source of their purchase, to ensure the legality of the wood.

The hope is that this is one way to curb illegal logging.

CGTN’s Lucrecia Franco reports.

Almost one-third of the world’s tropical timber comes from illegal logging according to the U.N. Environment Program, a crime that impacts economies and biodiversity.

BVRio, which stands for Rio de Janeiro Green Exchange, created an online platform that allows buyers to access the source of rain-forest lumber and has now partnered with China, the second largest importer of tropical wood after the U.S.

In 2015, BVRio launched the Responsible Timber Exchange which enables timber traders and buyers to review legal products. The exchange is expanding to Africa and Southeast Asia.

On the exchange, scores of data, such as logging permits and sawmill licenses, are crosschecked daily to help buyers avoid illegal timber trade.

Many environmentalists are welcoming the timber exchange initiative as a mechanism to tackle one of the world’s most difficult problems: the deforestation of tropical rain forests.

A solution for Chinese and other foreign importers – that can face huge fines if they buy or sell illegal logged timber and key for the survival of endangered forests.