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EU Member States Gather in Madrid to Address Deforestation Crisis
This week, several EU member states are convening in Madrid for the Amsterdam Declarations Partnership (ADP) summit, a coalition of European countries dedicated to eradicating deforestation in agricultural supply chains by 2025. The urgency of their leadership is underscored by the looming elections across Europe, during which some politicians have sought to undermine crucial environmental regulations, such as the European Union’s Deforestation-Free Products Regulation (EUDR).
The EUDR, which aims to tackle Europe’s significant role in driving global deforestation, requires EU companies to ensure that the wood, palm oil, soy, coffee, cocoa, rubber, and cattle they import or export are not produced on land deforested after December 31, 2020. Additionally, these commodities must be produced in compliance with laws on land use rights, labor rights, and other human rights.
The need for such regulation is evident, as commercial-scale agriculture stands as the primary driver of deforestation worldwide. While the bulk of deforestation occurs in tropical regions, EU companies continue to purchase millions of tons of products from these areas without addressing the local toll on communities and the environment.
Despite previous pledges to address these issues, voluntary commitments have proven to be ineffective. It is clear that agribusiness must be held accountable through enforceable regulations.
As the ADP member states gather in Madrid, it is imperative that they publicly commit to being the gold standard for EUDR implementation, urging their European partners to do the same. The impact of deforestation on nature and local communities cannot afford any further delays or setbacks.
