EIA and NGOs Urge EU to Reject Deforestation Law Delay, Citing Global Climate and Forest Risks

EIA and NGOs Urge EU to Reject Deforestation Law Delay, Citing Global Climate and Forest Risks

(IN BRIEF) More than 225 civil society organizations, including the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA), are urging the European Parliament and EU governments to reject the European Commission’s proposal to delay the implementation of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) by 12 months. The EUDR, set to replace the EU Timber Regulation, aims to reduce global deforestation by restricting the sale of products linked to deforestation in the EU. Campaigners warn that postponing the law will harm global efforts to combat deforestation and climate change, risking further forest destruction. EU member states will discuss the delay today, with a vote from the European Parliament expected soon.

(PRESS RELEASE) LONDON, 16-Oct-2024 — /EuropaWire/ — More than 225 civil society organizations from 42 countries, including the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA), have urged the European Parliament and national EU governments to reject the European Commission’s proposal to delay the implementation of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) by 12 months. This regulation, which will replace the EU Timber Regulation (EUTR), aims to combat global deforestation by prohibiting the sale of commodities linked to deforestation or illegal production within the EU market.

EIA Senior Forests Campaigner Vanessa Richardson emphasized the urgent need for immediate action, stating, “The world cannot afford delays in addressing global deforestation and combating climate change.” The EUDR targets commodities like cattle, cocoa, soy, palm oil, and rubber, which drive deforestation through the expansion of agricultural land. It aims to reduce the EU’s impact on deforestation, greenhouse gas emissions, and biodiversity loss while promoting transparency and fairness in the market.

Despite strong legislative support when the EUDR was adopted in June 2023, the European Commission’s proposal to delay the law’s enforcement threatens to undermine the EU’s efforts and send mixed signals to global markets. EU member states’ ambassadors are expected to discuss the proposal in a meeting today, with a vote from the European Parliament anticipated in an upcoming plenary session.

Richardson and other campaigners warn that postponing this regulation could lead to further deforestation, with devastating consequences for both the environment and vulnerable communities affected by the expansion of forest-risk commodities.

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SOURCE: Environmental Investigation Agency