EU deforestation laws debate

On November 9, EU legislators will debate a new law on deforestation.

They have a choice before them:

Create a strong & inclusive regulation that protects forests globally, helps stop extinction in biodiversity and deforestation hotspots (like Australia), and gives priority market access to the producers who are doing the right thing for the environment.
Or they can keep loopholes in the law, turning a blind eye to the destruction that threatens iconic animals like the koala, greater glider and swift parrot.

What will they choose?

To have real impacts for nature, in biodiversity-rich producer countries like Australia, the law must include robust and credible definitions.
This means addressing deforestation, forest degradation, and protecting a large array of natural ecosystems including forests, woodlands and bushlands.

It also means deforestation finance must be stopped, and the rules must be strictly enforced. The European Commission must follow a transparent and objective process when assessing country risk, and enforcement authorities must thoroughly investigate imports and respond to potential concerns by third parties.

Local communities and indigenous peoples’ rights must be upheld by the EU. In particular, due diligence obligations should include the right to free, prior and informed consent as laid out in the United Nations Declarations on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).

Read the Wilderness Society report: Can Europe Save the Koala?