On August 25, 2020, the UK government proposed a law to help curb illegal deforestation worldwide by prohibiting businesses in the UK from using products grown on illegally deforested land. Now, Britain passed the Environment Bill – a law mandating all companies to reveal the sources of their raw materials. Illegally produced commodities have no place in their market anymore!
The legislation forces companies to comply with the producer countries’ environmental laws. Essential commodities, such as soy, beef, palm oil, and leather, will have to be declared to make sure they take no part in the degradation of critical natural ecosystems and illegal deforestation abroad.
More than 60,000 people responded to the issue, with 99% in favor of legislating.
Lord Goldsmith, the International Environment Minister, said:
In every conceivable way, we depend on the natural world around us. Rainforests cool the planet, provide clean air and water, and are a haven for some of the most endangered species on Earth – and so protecting them must be a core priority.
Our new due diligence law is one piece of a much bigger package of measures that we are putting in place to tackle deforestation. Our intent is not just to take world-leading domestic measures but to build a global alliance of countries committed to working together to protect the world’s precious forests.
Last month, nearly 80 countries signed the Leader’s Pledge for Nature, committing to reverse the destruction of nature by 2030. The UK played a key role in crafting the pledge, and as hosts of the next and all-important UN Climate Conference, we have a chance to turn those powerful words into action.
A bundle of measures is set to be announced, all dedicated to cleaning up Britain’s supply chains. Those measures include public procurement, future trade policies, the founding of a sustainable Food Service Sector Action Plan, and scaling up investment in sustainable land use. The government is also urging supermarkets to establish zero-deforestation pledges.
Jason Tarry, CEO of Tesco UK & ROI, said:
Due diligence has an important role to play in halting deforestation, fighting climate change and protecting communities. We welcome these new measures as an important first step towards creating a level playing field in the UK, aligned with Tesco’s goal of zero deforestation. We hope this encourages all businesses to do the right thing.
Agriculture is responsible for 80% of deforestation, with land being cleared to grow crops and grazing animals. Over 50% of the food consumed in the UK is imported. And while the UK is small, its consumerism still poses a threat to the world’s forests and contributes to the ever-growing footprint of destruction.
