The challenge to end tropical deforestation is at a critical juncture. On the positive side, the Paris Climate Conference COP21 led to a number of ambitious forest-related pledges from governments, donors, and private sector companies. While all this is encouraging, it will not be sufficient to significantly reduce deforestation unless major emerging markets are engaged in eliminating deforestation from commodity supply chains. This includes both major importers (such as China and India), and major producers who are also significant consumers (such as Brazil and India). A strong fact base to inspire robust action on greening supply chains in emerging markets is still missing. This includes assessing (a) the importance of emerging markets for reducing deforestation based on their current and future commodity demand; (b) the degree to which we are starting to see increasing sustainability awareness and concerns over deforestation in these markets; and (c) what it would take to improve the sustainability of supply chains in one key emerging market – China.
This research by AlphaBeta was commissioned by the Tropical Forest Alliance 2020 (TFA 2020), a global partnership that brings together governments, the private sector, and civil society organisations to reduce the tropical deforestation associated with the sourcing of commodities such as palm oil, soy, beef, and paper and pulp.
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