Accountability Framework initiative (AFi)

Commodity driven land use change (such as deforestation and ecosystem conversion) is a major driver of biodiversity loss. Did you know that biodiversity loss is also a human rights issue? It’s true! In particular, land use change can have a negative impact on the culture, resources, and rights of Indigenous Peoples to food security, land, livelihoods, and a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment Read our latest blog piece on the link between biodiversity and Indigenous Peoples rights—and how taking an integrated approach to protecting both can have the most effective outcome — on the AFi website 👇 https://lnkd.in/eskZEUeV #COP16 #IndigenousPeoples #Biodiversity #NaturePositive

Nature-based solutions shouldn't be ignored in our efforts to tackle climate change and biodiversity loss. Find out more from Nature4Climate 👇

The European Commission recently put forward plans to delay the implementation of the EU Deforestation Regulation (#EUDR) by 12 months. The AFi encourages companies to use this time to speed up their efforts to meet the requirements of the EUDR as well as advance their targets on climate and nature. Read our full statement below 👇 https://lnkd.in/eHw_QjXz

Did you know that the AFi e-learning platform includes a module on supply chain management? To meet climate and nature targets, as well as mitigate legal and reputational risks, companies need compliance protocols, risk assessments, supply chain mapping, and better traceability. Use our e-learning platform to see how the Accountability Framework can guide your business towards responsible commodity supply chains today. More info here 👉 https://lnkd.in/e4mPz46w

It’s #IndigenousPeoplesDay! At the AFi, it is our mission to support companies eliminate deforestation, conversion, and human rights violations from their commodity supply chains – and that includes respecting the rights of Indigenous Peoples.    We know that commodity driven land use change (ie, deforestation and conversion) is a major driver of biodiversity loss. But it does not just affect the environment, but people too.  Land use change impacts the rights of Indigenous Peoples to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, as recognised by the UN General Assembly, which is in turn deeply connected to other rights such as livelihoods and food security.    Protecting nature and respecting the rights of Indigenous Peoples go hand in hand. In fact, respecting Indigenous Peoples’ rights is one of the most effective strategies for biodiversity conservation. As such, companies that buy or produce agricultural and forestry commodities must address their impacts on natural lands, species, products, and services. They must also comply with international laws, local regulations, and voluntary commitments to identify, avoid, and mitigate potential harms on both biodiversity and Indigenous Peoples.     Protect the planet. Protect the people who live here. 🌎   #IndigenousRights #IndigenousLands #Biodiversity #NaturePositive #Commodities #SupplyChains 

“The extra year should be used to accelerate action towards this goal overall, not only to dot the i’s and cross the t’s for EUDR compliance,” said AFi Director Jeffrey Milder. Last week, the European Commission put forward plans to delay the implementation of the EU Deforestation Regulation (#EUDR) until 30 December 2025. The AFi encourages companies to use this time to speed up their efforts to meet the requirements of the EUDR as well as advance their targets on climate and nature. Read our full statement below 👇 https://lnkd.in/eHw_QjXz

Thank you for having us, Reuters Events Sustainable Business! 🙏 AFi Director Jeffrey Milder was able to speak as part of a workshop at #SustainabilityUSA earlier this week, with a focus on addressing climate and nature mandates in an integrated way. A great session all around!

Climate Week NYC is over and it’s clear that land has a big role to play in the climate transition. Here are our three key takeaways:    🌳 Halting deforestation and conversion is crucial  1️⃣ Land use change was indisputably recognised as a key portion of the greenhouse gas emissions pie for many companies. Halting deforestation and conversion in their supply chains is a key pathway for companies to meet their climate and nature targets, reduce their emissions burden, and comply with incoming regulation.     🚜 Land management is also a piece of the puzzle  2️⃣ Several talks at this year’s Climate Week NYC emphasised the role of addressing emissions from agricultural land management, including via insetting. These management improvements can foster better climate resilience and improved crop health while helping companies meet their commitments.    💵 A land use-driven climate transition needs broad support  3️⃣ Many companies are nervous about what to do, how to do it, and what it means if they fail. Whether through financial incentives, regulation, or through their investors, companies need more support to meet key climate goals.    Climate change is a big problem that requires big solutions. The agri-food sector has a big part to play. Read our full reflection on Climate Week NYC 2024 on the AFi blog linked below 👇    🔗 https://lnkd.in/eWy5PxAa     And finally, thank you to the many members of the AFi Coalition our team was able to meet with at the event, including Ceres, Inc., Conservation International, Global Canopy, Imaflora , Mighty Earth, Proforest, Rainforest Alliance, The Nature Conservancy, World Resources Institute, and WWF.    #ClimateWeekNYC #ClimateWeek #NewYorkClimateWeek #ClimateGroup #foodsystems #landmanagement 

🌐 Supply chains are complex. To mitigate both legal and reputational risks, as well as to meet climate and nature targets, companies need effective supply chain management. With growing pressure to avoid links with deforestation, ecosystem conversion, and human rights violations, companies need compliance protocols, risk assessments, supply chain mapping, and better traceability. The AFi e-learning platform includes a module that can help companies upskill their staff on supply chain management. See how the Accountability Framework can guide your business towards responsible commodity supply chains today. Find out more here 👉 https://lnkd.in/e4mPz46w #Commodities #Deforestation #SupplyChains #SupplyChainManagement #SupplierEngagement

🌳 NEW REPORT: Our planet’s forests are in crisis, and world leaders continue to fall short of their promises to protect them. The 2024 Forest Declaration Assessment – which tracks global progress towards protecting and restoring the world’s forests – has launched. Worldwide, deforestation has increased since adoption of high-level commitments to end forest loss and degradation by 2030. Surging global demand for commodities from agriculture, mining, and forestry compound threats to critical intact forests and wildlife habitats, even as political transitions offer opportunities to change course. The annual assessment, developed by a coalition of civil society and research organisations, finds that: ➡️ 6.37 million hectares of deforestation occurred in 2023, which puts the world starkly off track for achieving the goal of eliminating gross deforestation by 2030. ➡️ The clearing of irreplaceable primary tropical forests accounted for 3.74 million hectares of that total, a number 38% higher than the trajectory needed to reach no loss by 2030. ➡️ High integrity forests continue to be lost and degraded at alarming rates, including boreal and temperate forests in North America and Europe ➡️ Over 1.4 million hectares of forests were lost in forests particularly important to the preservation of biodiversity, otherwise known as forested Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs). The annual assessment of international commitments, including the Glasgow Leaders’ Declaration on Forests and Land Use (2021) and the Kunming Global Biodiversity Framework (2021), tracks progress on eliminating deforestation and forest degradation by 2030. Read the full report: https://lnkd.in/eq4MgS3p