Halting Deforestation & Conversion from Agricultural Commodities

The following key literature articulates the case for ‘deforestation-free, conversion-free food supply chains’ as being a central means of contributing to a more sustainable global food system. Please see the Annex for additional resources.

Analysis found that from 2005-2013, 5.5 million hectares per year of forest loss can be attributed to 7 global commodities – oil palm, soy, cattle, plantation, wood fiber, cocoa, coffee, and rubber. Goldman, E.D., Weisse, M., Harris, N. and Schneider, M., 2020. Estimating the Role of Seven Commodities in Agriculture-Linked Deforestation: Oil Palm, Soy, Cattle, Wood Fiber, Cocoa, Coffee, and Rubber.

Study finds that in the period 2005–2013, 62% (5.5Mha yr−1 ) of forest loss could be attributed to expanding commercial cropland, pastures and tree plantations. The commodity groups most commonly associated with deforestation were cattle meat, forestry products, oil palm, cereals and soybeans, though variation between countries and regions was large. A large (26%) and slightly increasing share of deforestation was attributed to international demand, the bulk of which (87%)was exported to countries that either exhibit decreasing deforestation rates or increasing forest cover. Pendrill, F., U.M. Persson, J. Godar, and T. Kastner. 2019. “Deforestation Displaced: Trade in Forest-Risk Commodities and the Prospects for a Global Forest Transition.” Environmental Research Letters 14 (5). https://iopscience.iop.org/ article/10.1088/1748-9326/ab0d41

Study results indicate that 27% of global forest loss can be attributed to deforestation through permanent land use change for commodity production. Despite corporate commitments, the rate of commodity-driven deforestation has not declined. To end deforestation, companies must eliminate 5 million hectares of conversion from supply chains each year. Curtis, P.G., Slay, C.M., Harris, N.L., Tyukavina, A. and Hansen, M.C., 2018. Classifying drivers of global forest loss. Science, 361(6407), pp.1108-1111.

On the impacts of international trade on ecosystem services in tropical nations, there are large economic loses due to the amount of land absorbed (used for export) and estimate global annual net losses of over 1.7 x 1012 international dollars (I$). Chang, J., Symes, W.S., Lim, F. and Carrasco, L.R. (2016) International trade causes large net economic losses in tropical countries via the destruction of ecosystem services, Ambio, 45, pp.387–397.

Estimate that global forests were a net carbon sink of −7.6 ± 49 GtCO2e yr−1, reflecting a balance between gross carbon removals (−15.6 ± 49 GtCO2e yr−1) and gross emissions from deforestation and other disturbances (8.1 ± 2.5 GtCO2e yr−1) Harris N.L., Gibbs D.A., Baccini A. et al. (2021). Global maps of twenty-first century forest carbon fluxes. Nature Climate Change (234-240). Available at: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-020-00976-6

Deforestation is a cross cutting issue in several of the 22 menu items listed to feed 10 billion sustainably by 2050. Deforestation and conversion-free supply chains are essential ways of linking Productivity Gains and Natural Landscape Protection. WRI (2019) Creating a Sustainable Food Future: A Menu of Solutions to Feed Nearly 10 Billion People by 2050. World Resources Report. Available at: https://research.wri.org/wrr-food

A systematic review of the conservation and livelihood outcomes of the mechanisms that companies use to implement their forest-focused supply chain policies (FSPs – certifications, codes of conduct, and market exclusion mechanisms) finds that more than half of the 37 cases that rigorously measure the outcomes of FSP implementation mechanisms find additional conservation and livelihood benefits resulting from the policies. Garrett, R.D., Levy, S.A., Gollnow, F., Hodel, L. and Rueda, X. (2021) Have food supply chain policies improved forest conservation and rural livelihoods? A systematic review. Environmental Research Letters 16(3) 033002 https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/abe0ed

Effective subsidy schemes must by design be truly result- and performance-based, supported by robust and objective indicators. At the same time, engaging multiple actors along key commodity value chains – including leading importing and exporting countries, traders and transporters – could lead to the development of international, commodity-specific arrangements that are able to deliver effective nutrition and sustainability goals. Gautam, M., Hayde, E. and Zhand, Y. (2021) Agriculture, Subsidies and Forests. Designing fiscal instruments for sustainable forests. World Bank, Washington DC.