Mighty Earth’s Post

Another great piece of advocacy coming from Mighty Earth. Their statement perfectly summarizes efforts by 20 EU member states to undermine the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). The EUDR is a crucial piece of regulation designed to combat deforestation linked to agricultural expansion and any move to delay and weaken the EUDR is surely a threat to global climate and biodiversity. Make no mistake, this is a very concerning development, and those of us who care about ending deforestation need to raise awareness about the potential consequences of weakening the EUDR. PLease condider #sharing this statement with your network Thank you, Julian Oram, Senior Policy Director at Mighty Earth, for condemning these efforts and pointing out the critical importance of upholding the EUDR to combat deforestation, protect forests, and mitigate climate change. Thanks also to Glenn Hurowitz and Alex Wijeratna for your leadership on this. #deforestation #EUDR #palmoil #sustainabilitymatters #sustainability #climate #biodiversity

"An outrageous attempt to sabotage the implementation of Europe's groundbreaking law against imported deforestation" --> The #EUDR was officially signed into law in June 2023, and was the culmination of *years* of negotiations between member states, the European Commission, and the European Parliament; as well as consultations with academic experts and key stakeholders from industry and civil society. But the Austrian Ministry of Agriculture initiative now seeks to quickly unravel this carefully constructed law and water down the blueprint for its implementation, due to begin on January 1, 2025. Julian Oram, Senior Policy Director at Mighty Earth, said: “This is an outrageous attempt to sabotage the implementation of Europe’s groundbreaking law against imported deforestation. EU consumption of commodities like beef, soy, cocoa and palm oil is devastating the Amazon and other key rainforests in Asia, Africa and Latin America. Any delay in enforcement would be catastrophic for climate change and nature loss.” #deforestation #climate #climatechange #climatecrisis #biodiversity #forests #nature #EU #EUpolicy #traceability

🌱What is the environmental policy of the #Hungarian EU presidency? We argue that #Hungary is taking a cautious approach to environmental topics but remains committed to EU guidelines. #Soils stay in the spotlight. Read our new article here👇 https://ow.ly/YX5Z50SNQRC

Yesterday a Senate Inquiry released a report in which the government majority acknowledged changes are needed to improve its Nature Positive bills. Concerningly, the report stopped short of recommending strengthening the independence of Environmental Protection Australia (EPA) by instituting a board, which is a structural element of all state EPAs around the country, and necessary for the proposed new agency’s accountability. Only hours prior, Senate crossbenchers had written to the Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek proposing amendments to the Albanese government’s Nature Positive bills poised to be debated by the Senate as soon as this week. In their letters crossbench Senators David Pocock, Sarah Hanson-Young and Lidia Thorpe recommend that the bills close controversial deforestation loopholes in federal laws. They also propose the EPA be established with an independent board, additional transparency measures and greater inclusion of First Nations in decision-making. The Wilderness Society urges the government to engage with the cross-bench, whose proposed amendments present a pragmatic pathway through the mess that Australia’s nature law reform has become, and signal that meaningful nature reform is within reach. Sam Szoke-Burke, Biodiversity Policy and Campaign Manager for the Wilderness Society, said “The government needs to get on with the job of delivering genuine EPBC reforms to prevent extinctions and provide certainty for business. We stand ready to welcome amendments to the bills that increase transparency and accountability of assessments and decisions, and that protect Australia’s globally unique forests from deforestation." Read more: https://lnkd.in/eJbjPExg #auspol #naturepositive #environment #EPBC #naturelaws #deforestation #naturelawsthatwork

Today, in The Guardian, Virginijus Sinkevičius, the former EU environment commissioner, claimed that delaying the deforestation regulation would be “a step backward in the fight against climate change.” While I understand his concerns, one could easily argue the opposite: implementing the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) in its current form could lead to even more deforestation. Rather than rushing into enforcement, extending the timeline is a critical step toward ensuring the regulation’s success. Implementing it now, with unclear procedures, missing tools, and limited stakeholder buy-in, risks causing confusion and unintended consequences—like farmers shifting to other crops (through deforestation) to bypass the regulation. This ties into the concept of E = Q x A, popularised by Jack Welch, the former CEO of General Electric. The Effect (E) of any initiative is the product of its Quality (Q) and Acceptance (A). A well-designed regulation, if poorly accepted, will struggle to make a meaningful impact. Rushing the EUDR now would likely lead to low acceptance, chaotic implementation, and minimal intended effect. While the EUDR is a vital first step, it won’t fix decisions made by authorities globally who often prioritise economic gains over environmental concerns. That’s why this regulation should be seen as the beginning of a broader, collective effort to combat deforestation and biodiversity loss. More time will help ensure better coordination and understanding among all stakeholders, especially those in the global south. In the end, a regulation that’s widely accepted and well-implemented will have far more impact than one that’s met with resistance. Read more in The Guardian: https://lnkd.in/e94_7Jus You might like my other post about EUDR as well: https://lnkd.in/dQEd_nQm #sustainability #EUDR #deforestation #collaboration #climateaction

Mixed views on a proposed delay of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). Earlier this week, the European Commission proposed a 12-month delay to the EUDR. Widely hailed as the most ambitious law to combat deforestation globally, the EUDR intends to ban import and sale of commodities such as cocoa, coffee, soya, palm oil and rubber, as well as products including chocolate, leather and furniture, unless it can be proven that they are produced without causing deforestation. The call for a delay is based on arguments that the EUDR would harm small farmers and businesses, particularly in developing countries, who are not sufficiently prepared to fulfill the requirements. Opponents of the delay argue that it would undermine the European Green Deal, and would be a step backward in the fight against climate change, at a time when urgent action is badly needed. #EUDR #deforestation #climatecrisis #climateaction

A proposed delay to the EU’s Anti-Deforestation #eudr Law could have severe consequences, leading to deforestation 14 times the size of Paris! This delay puts forests, biodiversity, and the fight against climate change at risk. The time to act is #NOW! Governments and industries must prioritize environmental protection and uphold commitments to sustainable practices. Let’s stand together for a future where forests are preserved, and sustainability is the norm. #Sustainability #ClimateAction #Deforestation #EnvironmentalProtection #EULaw #GlobalWitness https://lnkd.in/g4GvQQQy

The Government has some big ambitions for Agricultural and Environmental policy. Our article highlights some of the key areas to look out for over the coming months. https://lnkd.in/eUrZZNPM

The proposed EUDR delay is not ideal, but here's the thing... the more we dig into the EUDR, the more we realise there's a ton to unpack. The lack of clarity, overlooking practical implementation challenges, and underestimating the complexity of global trade could lead to some serious, potentially irreversible issues in global supply chains. In this case, this one-year delay looks more like a smart (and inevitable) move, giving us time to ensure the regulation works as intended.

🤝 Last week, the European Commission proposed delaying the #EUDR by 12 months. We agree with Global Witness and other like-minded NGOs that any delay will further aggravate the nature and climate crisis. 📑 But if there is to be a delay, the additional 12 months must be used effectively by both the EU and supply chain companies to keep ambition high and prepare for the legislation. 🌳 The #EU must commit to maintaining the current cut-off date to avoid uncertainty in the core requirements of the law. Ensuring the effective implementation of EUDR is critical to achieve the 2030 pledge to halt and reverse #biodiversity loss by 2030.