Key pointers for an ambitious EU action plan against deforestation

Key pointers for an ambitious EU action plan against deforestation

the Netherlands - 14 March, 2019

An EU Deforestation Action Plan is a unique opportunity for strong, legislative and other measures to help combat deforestation in the EU’s importation, production and consumption of agrocommodities.

Existing market mechanisms and policy measures to date have not proved to be enough to halt global deforestation, so these must be strengthened and scaled up by firmer policy and legislation. The EU Action Plan can play a crucial role in this

Tropenbos International and IUCN NL have published the policy brief “Key pointers for an ambitious EU action plan against deforestation”. It aims to support European policy makers in considering an ambitious package of effective interventions regarding the EU Action Plan against deforestation, while also ensuring smallholder inclusiveness.

The policy brief underlines that an EU action should effectively halt deforestation and ecosystem conversion and create a level playing field for sustainable production, trade and consumption of commodities, while building on existing initiatives. This can only be achieved through an EU Action Plan against deforestation, which combines voluntary with binding measures, through a smart mix of robust demand, supply and finance measures, whilst seeking to internalise the real value of forests and ecosystem services.