The Consumer Goods Forum has urged all stakeholders in global businesses to take collective action in the fight against deforestation.
As consumers across the globe are showing more interest in sustainability issues and demanding greater transparency and environmental action, the Forum has reiterated its commitment to a ‘forest positive’ future and assured to play its part in the effort.
The appeal comes at a time when the world's largest forest, Amazon, is grappling with wildfires.
More than 40% of deforestation across the globe is a result of expanding agriculture to meet the demand for soybeans, cattle, palm oil, rubber, and cocoa, the CGF said.
In 2018, primary forest equivalent to the size of Panama was destroyed, while 2018 witnessed the destruction of forests the size of Belgium.
Transformational Changes
The Forum has called on governments, the private sector, and civil society to work together to deliver more transformational changes to promote sustainable agriculture.
Reducing deforestation in supply chains is an imperative that must become the norm in global trade, the CGF said.
It cited Brazil’s Soy Moratorium and the more recent Palm Oil Moratorium in Indonesia as exemplar projects that have resulted in increasing agricultural production and cutting deforestation.
The Forum also acknowledged the role of farmers and producers, who form the foundation of the global supply chain, as crucial in moving forward.
It said that is committed to working with responsible Brazilian companies that aim to increase production without deforestation, thereby eliminating non-sustainable ingredients at the source.
For more than a decade, Brazil has displayed that economic growth can be achieved without harming forests, and it can continue to grow and develop its exports for agricultural commodities, the Forum said.
Collaborative Action
The Forum also outlined the importance of collaborative action between businesses and other stakeholders in combating deforestation at a global level.
It identified close operation between governments, conscientious businesses and pragmatic civil society partners as an essential step towards addressing the underlying causes and complex challenges of deforestation
Multi-stakeholder platforms enable different actors to come together to understand different perspectives and the trade-offs associated with alternative pathways, the Forum explained.
As world leaders meet in New York for the UN Secretary General’s Climate Summit in September, the CGF said it will push for deeper systemic and transformational changes.
© 2019 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Dayeeta Das. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine.
