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News / 11 September 2020

Have your say on the EU’s deforestation policy

The world's forests are under threat. Remaining forests – havens of precious biodiversity and the lungs of the planet – are being cleared to make way for beef, soy, sugar and palm oil production, mining and other industrial activities, fuelled by increasing demand from Europe and other countries. But the good news is: you can help stop the destruction!

The European Union is a significant importer of products linked to deforestation and is now designing measures to address the deforestation around the world connected with EU supply chains and consumption patterns. The European Commission is asking for input from citizens and civil society from within and outside Europe. This is your chance to let the European Commission know that you care about global deforestation and want the EU to take the most effective measures against deforestation possible.

Act now against deforestation

We've developed an easy way for you to give your input to the European Commission's consultation. Just fill in your details below and hit the 'ACT NOW' button, and a clear message in your name will be sent automatically to the European Commission.

You can also write your own message to the European Commission by going to the official consultation website.

For more information about this campaign, see below.

Yes, I add my opinion to protect the world's forests!

 

About the #Together4Forests campaign

The EU's consumption represents around 10% of the global share of deforestation embodied in the consumption of commodities such as palm oil, beef, soy, cocoa, maize, timber and rubber. This cannot continue if we are to avoid a climate, ecological and biodiversity disaster. Therefore, decisive EU action is needed to reduce the EU's consumption of forest-risk commodities, protect and restore remaining forests and other natural ecosystems and protect the human rights of local communities and Indigenous Peoples.

Implementing a comprehensive set of measures and initiatives, including new legislation, is essential to reduce the EU's footprint on the world's natural ecosystems. Any future EU action should include the most ambitious solutions.

This is why the #Together4Forests campaign was initiated by a coalition of more than 100 environmental organisations led by Greenpeace and WWF.

By promoting the massive engagement of citizens in the EC's online consultation about these measures, we want to show the European Commission that many people care about the world's forest and demand meaningful, effective action by their governments.

Official consultations are usually lengthy and technical, and not really encouraging of public participation. Therefore, the #Together4Forests coalition prepared the answers for you. In the form above, you can click on the link to read them.

Why Both ENDS is supporting this campaign

Both ENDS and our partners from around the world have been working together to fight deforestation and the structures that cause it for decades. Deforestation is not only an ecological and climatological disaster, but it also has huge consequences for the welfare and survival of local communities, Indigenous Peoples and future generations.

Together with partners in South East Asia, but increasingly also in Africa and Latin America, we defend the world's forests against ever-expanding palm oil plantations. We support communities who see their forest disappear as a consequence of infrastructure development. We shed a light on the destructive effects of soy in South America. And at the same time, we advocate for better trade policies in Europe and the Netherlands, which should promote fair and sustainable use of the world's resources instead of accelerate the degradation of forests and other ecosystems.

 

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