THE EU’S ROLE IN COMBATING IMPORTED DEFORESTATION

In recent months, a raft of major forest fires (in the Amazon, Africa, California, Australia) have reminded the world, its leaders and its governments of the fragility of forests and the urgent need to preserve them better. As theworld’s second largest carbon sinkafter the oceans, forest biomes play a major role in regulating the climate,maintaining biodiversity and ensuring water and soil quality. They are an essential resource for many people.
At a time when the Covid-19 crisis is raging and questions are surfacing about the link between environmental degradation and the emergence of new diseases, the ESEC is examining how the European Union (EU) and its Member States can step up the fight against “imported” deforestation, which is endemic to world trade. After analysing the origins and consequences of the phenomenon, the opinion identifies the existing mechanisms, points out their limitations and formulates various recommendations to avoid, reduce and ultimately compensate for imported deforestation.