Large areas of forest at risk with EU’s deforestation law postponed
Every minute the law is postponed means the loss of a football field of forest. The EU Parliament must vote to implement the regulation immediately, says Rainforest Foundation Norway.
CATTLE: Cattle grazing on deforested land in the Brazilian Amazon. Clearing land for cattle grazing is the main driver of deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon. Photo: Victor Moriyama
By Rainforest Foundation Norway.
On October 2, The European Commission announced that the implementation of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) will likely be postponed by one year, pushing the deadline to December 30, 2025.
The proposal still requires approval from the European Council and the European Parliament. While the Commission emphasized that the content of the EUDR would remain intact, there are concerns that the Council or Parliament might alter its provisions.
"We cannot afford to postpone the EU deforestation regulation for one year. The world's rainforests are already at breaking point, and with this postponement, thousands of square kilometers of forest could be lost. The world is losing a football pitch for every minute it is delayed. This, in turn, will lead to additional greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to Norway's annual emissions," says Anders Haug Larsen, Director of International Advocacy at Rainforest Foundation Norway.
As global leaders prepare for crucial climate and nature summits in the coming weeks, the postponement of the EUDR raises serious questions about Europe’s commitment to combating deforestation and climate change.
“This violates both the Paris and Montreal agreements and is a crazy signal to send just before the world gathers for nature and climate summits in a few weeks and while forest fires and smoke consume large parts of Brazil,” Haug Larsen continues.
DEFORESTATION: Demand for timber, soy, palm oil, meat, leather, oil, gas, metals and minerals drives deforestation worldwide. Photos: Shutterstock and Victor Moriyama
What is the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR)?
The EUDR applies to companies placing relevant commodities or products on the EU market, or exporting them from it. They will need to demonstrate that their products are deforestation-free, and not linked to forest degradation, nor illegal harvesting and trade. The EUDR is due to become applicable for most companies on 30 December 2024, but The European Commission has now announced that the implementation of the EUDR will likely be postphoned by one year, to December 30, 2025.
Industry pressure
Many organizations attribute the proposed postponement to pressure from industries that benefit from deforestation and politicians with ties to those industries.
“The most provocative thing is that the future of our forests is jeopardized by industries and politicians benefiting from their destruction,” says Haug Larsen and points out:
“Companies that have prepared well and do not want a postponement are not getting the competitive advantages that this would have provided, while the postponement rewards the slow coaches. The European Parliament must reject the proposal and prioritize the planet’s future over short-term industry interests”
EUDR must not be diluted in the process
Rainforest Foundation Norway will work with its European allies to minimize the postponement and ensure that the EUDR's content is not diluted. The organization is also advocating for the inclusion of Indigenous voices in rainforest countries during the implementation process and for providing support to small farmers to meet the EUDR’s requirements.
“Norway is already behind schedule in implementing the regulation and must avoid further delays, ensuring that the EUDR is fully enforced as soon as the EU finalizes its decision,” says Anders Haug Larsen, Director of International Advocacy at Rainforest Foundation Norway.
The fate of the regulation now rests in the hands of the European Parliament and Council, and environmental groups are closely monitoring its outcome.
SOY: Tropical savannah forest being cleared to make way for soy plantations. Photo: Victor Moriyama
For more information, contact
Anders Haug Larsen
International Advocacy Director
(+47) 932 17 626
andershl@rainforest.no