About: deforestation
Mercosur trade deal threatens to wreck EU’s climate credibility
To pass the EU-Mercosur deal in its current state would set an horrific precedent for future trade deals currently under negotiation and fly in the face of the EU’s landmark Green Deal, write Laurence Tubiana and Ani Toni.
Just 1% of businesses are taking strong action on deforestation: study
An analysis of the anti-deforestation work of 553 of the world's largest businesses has found that just 1% are taking 'best practice' action. This is despite the multi-billion-dollar risks associated with inaction, EURACTIV's media partner edie.net reports.
A photo-op with Jair Bolsonaro, anyone?
The EU must understand that a promise in a trade deal is no substitute for a deforestation control policy – something that’s awfully lacking in Brazil under its far-right regime, writes Marcio Astrini.
Lawmakers call for green ‘due diligence’ in Europe’s supply chains
Lawmakers in the European Parliament passed a resolution to tackle environmental and human rights issues in the supply chains of EU businesses by 504 votes to 79 on Wednesday (10 March) ahead of the Commission’s proposal on corporate due diligence later this year.
Political commitments not enough to ratify EU-Mercosur deal, says French minister
Mere "political commitments" will not be enough to ratify the agreement between the European Union and Mercosur countries, a French cabinet minister told the informal foreign affairs trade council on Tuesday (2 March), citing environmental and agricultural concerns. EURACTIV France reports.
‘Our forests are sick,’ Germany’s agriculture minister says
The German agriculture minister presented on Wednesday (24 February) a worrying annual report on the condition of German forests, which again highlights the dramatic effects of climate change on the ecosystem.
EU envisages €1 billion aid to Ivory Coast to meet sustainable cocoa laws
The European Union envisages providing around one billion euros over six years to aid Ivory Coast's cocoa sector as it adapts to EU supply chain laws due to be introduced later this year, its envoy in Abidjan said.
The EU must not greenwash the future destruction of the Amazon
As the political divide over the Mercosur trade deal widens, its advocates argue that shelving it will damage the EU’s credibility. The opposite is true, writes Perrine Fournier.
The EU’s watershed deforestation moment?
This week Ursula von der Leyen signalled the EU’s desire to lead the world in the fight against global deforestation. But if the key drivers of deforestation aren’t addressed, progress will remain limited, writes Julia Christian.
Europe renews pledge to fight deforestation at Paris biodiversity summit
The importance of forests for biodiversity and the need to protect them to prevent future pandemics was emphasised by Ursula von der Leyen and Charles Michel at the One Planet Summit on Monday (11 January).
One Planet Summit: no climate fix without biodiversity
A UN-backed summit Monday of political leaders and CEOs pledging to reverse the accelerating destruction of the natural world was long on promises and short on cash.
‘Distrust’ of Brazil stalling EU-Mercosur trade deal: official
Distrust in Europe of Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro's government is holding up ratification of a trade deal between the European Union and Mercosur, the EU ambassador to Brasilia said.
Beef, banks and the Brazilian Amazon: the EU’s complicity in driving deforestation
EU-based banks and EU consumption is helping to fuel the rapacious destruction of the climate-critical Amazon rainforest, writes Giulia Bondi.
How Europe’s decisions on climate change reverberate across Africa
The fifth anniversary of the Paris Agreement is this week, and Africa is looking at leaders like Ursula von der Leyen, Charles Michel, Angela Merkel and Emmanuel Macron to begin treating the climate crisis like a crisis, writes Vanessa Nakate.
The EU’s imported deforestation problem – a closer look
Forestry policy was on the agenda for Europe's agriculture ministers on Monday, which made for a heated debate since Europeans are, through their lifestyles, contributing to massive deforestation worldwide. EURACTIV France reports.
Policymakers urged to support biofuels to meet transport’s green goals
Governments around the world need to urgently address this year's 11.6% drop in biofuel output, caused by the pandemic, in order to meet transport’s decarbonisation goals, the head of the renewable energy division at the International Energy Agency (IEA) told EURACTIV in an interview.
Tackling the hidden cost of Europe’s chocolate habit
Chocolate is a cheap treat in Europe, but beneath the wrapper, it is mired in the bitter issues of deforestation, biodiversity loss and child labour.
The answer to deforestation lies in space
The use of satellite technology to track and halt real-time cases of deforestation in a country like Malaysia could become a “blueprint” for ending deforestation in the Amazon, writes Daniel Mackisack.
Europe needs laws to stop import of deforestation-linked products, lawmakers say
The European Parliament on Thursday (22 October) called for the European Union to introduce laws to prevent the import of commodities and products linked to deforestation and human rights abuses.
Britain, Canada, EU throw weight behind 2030 biodiversity protection goal
Britain and Canada on Monday (28 September) joined the European Union in pledging to protect 30% of their land and seas by 2030 to stem "catastrophic" biodiversity loss and help galvanise support for broader agreement on the target ahead of a UN summit.
How the EU could snatch defeat from the jaws of victory on climate
The European Commission's commendable move to aim for emission reductions of "at least 55%" by 2030 risks being completely undermined if the target also takes into account “reductions and removals” from forest growth and tree planting schemes, warns Bert Metz.
The EU must face its responsibility for the Amazon fires
Only with a strong law can European consumers be confident that the production of the food they eat does not fuel the horrendous fires we witness every year in the Amazon, writes Ester Asin.
Brazil exports to EU produced on illegally cleared land: report
One fifth of beef and soybean exports from Brazil to the European Union is produced on land that was illegally deforested, according to a report published in Science magazine on Thursday (16 July).