Biodiversity source material for Tread Softly briefings

14/4/2021: Critical reports by Greenpeace and other watchdogs have raised questions about the efficacy of eco-labels. However, relying solely on government regulation may be naive.

Source: Mongabay

Beef giant JBS vows to go deforestation-free — but not yet

6/4/2021: JBS, the largest animal protein producer on Earth, has made a commitment to achieve zero deforestation across its global supply chain by 2035. Campaigners remain sceptical about a company that ranks as the worst for deforestation of all major soy traders and meatpackers.

Source: Mongabay

Marine biodiversity diminishing in warming equatorial seas

7/4/2021: Global heating has made the ocean around the equator less rich in wildlife, with some species unable to survive, according to new research. Economies that rely on tourists for their unique biodiversity could be affected.

Source: The Guardian

2021 must be a turning point for forests

31/3/2021: The loss of primary tropical forests in 2020 ticked up by 12% compared to 2019, with Brazil the major culprit. However, Indonesia has now reduced deforestation for four years in a row. The international community needs to ramp up incentives for those governments undertaking serious efforts to address deforestation.

Source: World Resources Institute

The Amazon has become a net greenhouse gas emitter

19/3/2021: Scientists have calculated the balance of all natural and human-caused greenhouse gases coming in and out of the Amazon Basin — and found that the region is now a net emitter.

Source: Mongabay

UN biodiversity summit deferred for second time

18/3/2021: First deferred to May 2021, the crucial 15th conference of parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity has been further postponed due to the Covid pandemic. These meetings in Kunming, China will now be held from 11 to 24 October 2021.

Source: Convention on Biological Diversity

Certification schemes are greenwashing forest destruction

10/3/2021: 2020 was supposed to be the year when corporate members of the Consumer Goods Forum delivered their promises to eliminate deforestation from their supply chains. Their use of product certification, such as FSC and RSPO, has contributed to failure to reach this goal.

Source: Greenpeace International

China’s market influence can make or break green supply chains

10/3/2021: Efforts to assist low income countries to sustain their tropical forests through international carbon markets could be undermined by lack of global cooperation. There is some evidence of China exercising its purchasing power irresponsibly, creating a “leakage market” for unsustainable palm oil and soy.

Source: China Dialogue

COVID-19 fallout undermining nature conservation efforts

11/3/2021: The pandemic has significantly impacted nature conservation around the globe, according to new research. More than half of protected areas in Africa reported that they were forced to halt or reduce field patrols and anti-poaching operations.

Source: IUCN

Deforestation in Indonesia hits record low

9/3/2021: Indonesia’s deforestation rate hit a historic low in 2020, with the government crediting its various policies prohibiting forest-clearing, and experts attributing the trend to more rains, falling oil palm prices, and an economic slowdown as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Source: Mongabay

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