Forest Cover: a Global Coalition newsletter on international forest policy April 2018 The big four drivers of 2

About Global Forest Coalition: The Global Forest Coalition In this issue: (GFC) is an international coalition of 92 NGOs and Indigenous Peoples’ Organisations from 61 countries defending social justice and the rights of forest peoples in 3 Editorial: Driving forest policies. GFC organises joint advocacy campaigns on deforestation the need to respect the rights, role and needs of Indigenous By Ashlesha Khadse Peoples, women and local communities in forest conservation and the need to address the underlying causes of forest loss. Its staff and collaborators work from, amongst others, Paraguay, the Netherlands, Colombia, 5 Burning while Thailand and the UK. saving ? The mythology of bioenergy Editorial Team: Ashlesha Khadse, Mary Louise Malig, By Rachel Smolker Ronnie Hall and Simone Lovera Editor: Ronnie Hall Graphic Design & Photo Research: Oliver Munnion 10 and land grabbing in Cameroon th About Forest Cover: Welcome to the 55 issue of Forest By Center for Environment Cover, newsletter of the Global Forest Coalition (GFC). It and Development (CED) features reports on important intergovernmental meetings by different NGOs and IPOs, and articles from GFC member organisations. For free subscriptions, please contact: [email protected] 12 Biofuels for aviation: about to take off? You can donate to GFC here By Almuth Ernsting

Website: globalforestcoalition.org Image library: globalforestcoalition.org/photography Facebook: @globalforestcoalition 14 Natural pine forests rich Twitter: @gfc123 in threatened Instagram: global.forest by in Sweden By Kristina Bäck and Skydda

Front cover main photo: Judith Deland/CIC Skogen Other front cover photos: Jai Mansson/Flickr, GFC, Dogwood Alliance, Mathias Rittgerott/CIC 17 Booming trade in biofuels Contents page photos: Alysson D. Flynn/Flickr, Dogwood and devastating Alliance, Center for Environment and Development, the Czech Republic’s Biofuelwatch, Pär Wetterrot, Koalice pro řeky, Brighter wetlands, farms and Green & Jai Mansson/Flickr forests By Zdeněk Poštulka

This Forest Cover was made possible through support from various GFC member groups and contributors, including 20 Less meat, more forest: Misereor and the International Climate Initiative (IKI) of the Brighter Green’s work The Federal Ministry of the Environment, Nature in China Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU). The views By Wanqing Zhou expressed in this publication are not necessarily the views of our contributors.

22 What is being sacrificed for your premium piece of steak? By Mary Louise Malig Forest Cover: a Global Forest Coalition newsletter on international forest policy April 2018 3 The big four drivers of deforestation

Editorial: Driving deforestation

By Ashlesha Khadse, Global Forest Coalition, India

Trade, international and national, in just four key commodities—beef, soy, , and palm oil—is the main cause of deforestation in the world. Increasing demand for these forest-destroying commodities is leading to huge swathes of forest being replaced by vast monoculture and pasture, especially in the global South.

Beef is the worst deforesting Biofuelwatch is at the forefront of USDA/Flickr culprit, and South America, home campaigns to challenge the use of to the world’s most precious wood for fuel on an industrial tropical forests, is a region scale. Rachel Smolker’s article dramatically impacted by demand reveals the way in which forests in for livestock products. For example, the southeast of the USA are being it was found that between 1990 and felled to create wood pellets for 2005 clearing forests to make way export to Europe for supposedly for pasture was responsible for ‘sustainable’ biofuels, exposing not 71% of deforestation in seven Latin only the scale of this destructive Oliver Munnion/GFC American countries. [1] Palm oil is trade, but the way in which it is second only to beef in its climate actively contributing to impacts and is leading to serious deforestation and climate change. deforestation in Southeast Asia—300 football fields of forest The Center for Environment’s (CED) are lost in Indonesia for palm oil article speaks about the tangible every hour! [2] impacts of palm oil production upon communities and countries. In fact, these impacts are It shows us how transnational experienced everywhere, including corporations have been grabbing Mathias Rittgerott/CIC in Europe and North America. This massive tracts of land to produce 55th edition of Forest Cover brings palm oil in Cameroon. Gross us stories from across the world human rights violations, and where forests and communities environmental destruction lie face the impacts of the production behind palm oil. Despite this, the and trade in these commodities. It interest in palm oil as a source of also showcases peoples’ campaigns ‘sustainable’ energy is on the rise. as people across the globe struggle In fact, the highly polluting aviation to stop these drivers of forest loss. industry is also looking to shift to Mathias Rittgerott/CIC

Forest Cover: a Global Forest Coalition newsletter on international forest policy April 2018 The big four drivers of deforestation 4

Forest destruction in Australia. Judith Deland/CIC palm oil based biofuels as described in Almuth Ernsting’s article. The International Civil Aviation Organization, ICAO, (a specialised UN organisation that regulates the airlines industry), has been pushing for the use of biofuels as a ‘renewable’ source of fuels, a completely erroneous idea. misleading such certifications can trade negotiations and trade Kristina Bäck shows us how these be. Zdeněk Poštulka also shows us agreements as drivers of this forest problems are not unique to the how trade in biomass for bioenergy loss. The EU-Mercosur negotiations Global South by bringing us a story within the EU is devastating Czech that Malig describes are a key from Sweden. The Swedish Forest Republic’s wetlands, farms and arena for Mercosur countries to Agency has been granting forests. increase their beef exports to the controversial permissions to log old EU, potentially at the expense of growth virgin forests like the Ore The production of meat and dairy Latin American forests. The Forest Landscape. Sweden has been is another major driver of forest negotiations, if finalised, will trying to phase out fossil fuels, loss, as highlighted in earlier issues benefit agribusiness and lead to the replacing them with what it of Forest Cover. [5] But there are further expansion of beef and considers to be renewable energy stories of hope too. Wanqing Zhou feedstock production, especially including wood-based biomass takes us to China to talk about her soy for animal feed, to the sourced from old growth forests organisation Brighter Green’s detriment of forests and the both from within its own ground-breaking work on meat women and men who depend on boundaries and by importing wood consumption in China, exploring forests for their daily livelihoods. pellets. [3,4] Many of these the links with increasing companies like the state owned deforestation from meat Sveaskog described in the article production in Latin America. are certified by agencies like the Forest Stewardship Council, Finally, Mary Louse Malig puts a showing us just how little and compelling spotlight on global

[1] De Sy et al (2015). Land use and related carbon losses following deforestation in South America, De Sy V, Herold M, Achard F, Beuchle R, Clevers JGPW, Lindquist E & Verchot LV, 2015 http://www.cifor.org/library/5892/landuse-patterns-and-related-carbon-lossesfollowing-deforestation-in-south-america/ [2] https://deforestationandpalmoil.weebly.com/uploads/1/8/8/5/18854416/wwf.pdf [3] http://www.fern.org/sites/fern.org/files/Biomass%20imports%20to%20the%20EU%20final_0.pdf [4] http://bio-fuel-watch.blogspot.in/2011/02/controversial-logging-exposes-swedens.html [5] http://globalforestcoalition.org/resources/forest-cover-issues/forest-cover-49-meat-driver-deforestation/

Forest Cover: a Global Forest Coalition newsletter on international forest policy April 2018 5 The big four drivers of deforestation Burning trees while saving forests? The mythology of bioenergy

By Rachel Smolker, Biofuelwatch, USA and GFC Board member

Agriculture, livestock production and logging remain leading drivers of deforestation. But so- called ‘modern’ commercial and industrial-scale bioenergy is becoming increasingly prominent. Though rarely recognised, currently more than half of the energy classed as ‘renewable’ in the EU [1], and only slightly less in the US, consists of bioenergy—biofuels for transportation and burning wood/trees for electricity. Renewable energy promotional materials tend to feature images of solar panels and wind turbines, avoiding the rather less attractive reality of smokestacks, industrial corn and soya farms, and palm oil plantations.

Awareness of the problems with food production, and undermining plant infrastructure to remain large-scale bioenergy has grown, human rights. viable, so it is favoured by the fossil along with a massive body of fuel industry. scientific literature detailing Biofuelwatch first turned its ad infinitum that because of the attention to wood bioenergy when Furthermore, wood bioenergy can large land footprint required and it became clear to us that burning provide ‘baseload’ power (24/7, the length of time which forests wood for electricity was likely to year round), thus putting off the need to grow, large scale bioenergy take off dramatically. It is need to invest in the electricity (in pretty much any form), results technologically straightforward storage and interconnectors which in more, rather than less, climate- (unlike, for example, cellulosic are needed to make 100% ‘no-burn’ damaging emissions, while also liquid biofuels) and can enable coal renewables viable. In addition, destroying biodiversity, displacing plants and other pre-existing power public sentiment towards burning wood as renewable energy has been favourable. It is viewed by the public and even environmentalists as ‘natural’. Many environmental organisations initially promoted biomass enthusiastically, even those that later shifted their position on ethanol as competition with food production was recognised. With mandated targets and subsidies in place, it seemed clear that wood biomass would be the ‘low hanging fruit’ for renewables and would rapidly The real face of renewable energy? Biomass is increasingly burned in expand on a large scale. And it has. coal-fired power stations. nican45/Flickr

Forest Cover: a Global Forest Coalition newsletter on international forest policy April 2018 The big four drivers of deforestation 6

Accounting trickery perpetuates the claim that wood bioenergy is ‘carbon neutral’ (because trees that are burned might eventually regrow), allowing energy producers to claim to be reducing emissions. As a result they also receive generous subsidies for burning wood, on the same footing as—and therefore competing Enviva's Ahoskie wood pellet plant. Dogwood Alliance with—wind, solar and geothermal (non-combustion) renewables.

According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), wood pellet production has skyrocketed, from 6-7 million tonnes in 2006, to 26 million tonnes in 2015, increasing on average 14% year on year, and it is anticipated to continue to grow exponentially. [2] The bulk of international pellet trade occurs within European countries and between the US and EU, with companies such as DRAX, Oersted (formerly DONG), E.On and RWE purchasing massive quantities of pellets, primarily from the southeastern USA. An estimated 35 pellet plants are now operating or proposed across the southern USA, Wetland hardwood forest destruction for wood pellets, southern USA. Dogwood Alliance each with a voracious non-stop appetite for wood. [3] bottomland hardwood forests. [4] DRAX wood consumption is 1.6 While the biomass industry According to the Southern times the UK’s total annual wood continues to claim they use only Environmental Law Center, over production! [7] Yet all of the trees ‘waste and residue’, it is clear as 168,000 acres of wetland forest that are cut down, pelletised and day that this is not the case–the were at high risk from just this one shipped across the ocean to burn, wood yards of these facilities are facility. [5] Enviva ships much of the provide a mere 0.74% of the UK’s stacked with whole trees, including pellets they produce to the DRAX total energy demand. [8] Per unit of anything that is considered ‘low coal plant in UK, which has been energy generated CO2 emissions grade’ that cannot be sold as converted to burn 50% wood from burning wood are higher timber. pellets. In 2016, DRAX burned 6.6 even than for burning coal. [9] Add million tonnes of pellets, [6] made to that emissions from shipping the An exposé of wood sourcing from 13.2 million tonnes of wood pellets across the ocean, emissions practices for the pellet (since two tonnes of wood are from harvesting operations, manufacturer, Enviva, the largest harvested for every tonne of pellets transportation, drying, and producer in the US, revealed they manufactured). pelletising, soil carbon losses from were in fact harvesting whole trees logging, and the foregone carbon from rare remaining pockets of sequestration associated with

Forest Cover: a Global Forest Coalition newsletter on international forest policy April 2018 7 The big four drivers of deforestation

Whole trees are turned into pellets for export to Europe. Dogwood Alliance burning trees for electricity. Over 800 scientists have written to Members of the European Parliament expressing their concern, stating: “Even if forests are allowed to regrow, using wood deliberately harvested for burning will increase carbon in the atmosphere and warming for decades to centuries—as many studies have shown—even when wood replaces coal, oil or natural gas.’’ [11]

It seems so nonsensical, and yet Trucks transport hardwood trees to the pellet plants. Dogwood Alliance the policies supporting wood bioenergy (and bioenergy in general) remain, on the whole unchanged.

What will the future hold? As more and more nations get serious about addressing climate change, there is a risk that bioenergy may become increasingly entrenched as a ‘solution’. New bioenergy-related developments and commitments loom on the horizon. Asian markets for wood pellets have been expanding, with growing demand especially from Japan and South Korea. China has set targets to replace a large portion of coal cutting the trees down, and any ask in amazement. It makes no with wood pellets. proclaimed climate benefit sense, even to a child. becomes mighty hard to discern. As Indicative of this broad trend, a a reward for this absurdity, the UK Many organisations have taken on joint “Biofuture Platform” initiative government grants DRAX an the issue of the US/EU wood was launched by 19 nations at the astonishing €1.5m in subsidies bioenergy debacle (including November 2017 meeting of the every single day. [10] Dogwood Alliance, NRDC, UNFCCC in Bonn. Its stated Partnership for Policy Integrity, objective is: “to increase the use When most people hear this for the Fern and BirdLife International of low carbon sources (i.e. first time, they are shocked and among others). However, despite sustainable bio-mass) as the appalled. “You mean we are cutting these campaigns, politicians and feedstock for the production of down forests, turning them into policy meetings and even lobby energy, chemicals and materials. pellets, shipping them across the campaigns seem endlessly mired in In the not-so-distant past, the ocean to burn in a coal plant, debates over carbon impacts and world relied almost entirely on calling it renewable energy and sustainability standards. We toil renewable resources, including paying subsidies for this as a over preparation of report after biomass, for food, energy, and supposed climate solution?” people report detailing the fallacy of shelter. We ask you to envision a

Forest Cover: a Global Forest Coalition newsletter on international forest policy April 2018 The big four drivers of deforestation 8 future where this is once again As the bioenergy enthusiasts FAO, for example. This is in spite of true – many modern needs eyeball the planetary landscape to many years of civil society pressure including plastics, materials of assess ‘global biomass potential’, demanding a clear distinction. But construction, clothing and more there is simultaneously growing confounding the two provides a importantly energy, can be met recognition of the important role convenient loophole for the by biomass. It has been that forests could play in staving off forestry industry. If the definition estimated that, by 2050, half of the worst impacts of global of ‘forest’ includes an industrial [the] world's chemicals and warming. There is much discussion destined to be materials could be produced about the potential for restoration harvested for pulp or bioenergy, from renewable resources.” [12] and reestablishment of forests as then the plantation owner can an ‘easily available’ tool for claim to be growing a ‘forest’ while Of course, much of the world still sequestering carbon, while also also claiming to provide renewable relies entirely on biomass for food, providing many other benefits. energy. One way to have one’s cake energy and shelter. But the and eat it too. communities that still depend on But how can we possibly reconcile ‘traditional’ biomass are amongst massive demand for wood and In the USA, confusion, deceptive the world’s lowest users of energy. bioenergy crops, with protection terminology and profound If wealthy nations ignorance about attempt to Monoculture tree plantations shouldn't be classed as forests. Carbon Violence substitute are the tools of biomass as a the trade for source for their forest and massive energy biomass and material industries eager demands, at to unravel forest current levels of protections. For fossil-fuelled example, the consumption, Trump their demands administration will inevitably end recently in competition introduced a with both food “Resilient Forests production and Act”. Behind the traditional nice sounding uses–including by peasant farmers and restoration of forests? This is name, the purpose of the bill is to and Indigenous Peoples. the conundrum that policymakers open up public lands to logging on face—the proverbial problem of a massive scale, while also Even at current levels, it is clear ‘how to have your cake and eat it curtailing requirements for that bioenergy is a driver of forest too’. This discord seems to be a environmental assessments and destruction. But, if the many major wellspring of head-spinning largely eliminating any public diverse plans to expand its use confusion and manipulative participation in decision-making. come to pass, including plans for rhetoric about forests in the aviation biofuels and a vast context of climate change. The timber and biomass industries ‘bioeconomy’, we may find also have a long-standing public ourselves denuding much of the First of all, and very fundamentally, relations campaign based on the planet in a misguided rush to there still remains the ongoing claim that it is necessary to ‘save it’. deception inherent in the failure to ‘manage’ (that is, log) forests to formally distinguish between prevent that threaten forests and tree plantations, by people’s lives and property. Their

Forest Cover: a Global Forest Coalition newsletter on international forest policy April 2018 9 The big four drivers of deforestation argument rests on the myth that if subsidies for ‘thinning’, based on and hickory have gone, some at forests are not logged, they will fear of fire as a way to acquire least 200-400 years old when they accumulate too much biomass, and cheap feedstock for their projects. were felled. thus provide more fuel resulting in more severe fires. In fact, just the Why has the industry been so Regrowth, where it can occur, is a opposite is the case, as both successful in perpetuating these long, slow process, and most of us common sense and science have myths? In the US, and perhaps will never see a genuine old growth shown. For example, a 2016 study elsewhere in the Global North, the forest (though many second demonstrated that the less a forest answer may lie with an apathetic growth forests are now again has been managed (logged), the public that suffers from a profound spectacularly diverse and awe less severe the fires. [13] This lack of understanding about inspiring). We do not know what we makes sense to most people who forests. Urbanisation, and the are missing. Our sense of ‘forest’ have spent time in old growth and failure of our education system, lacks historical grounding and our logged over forests. Logging have resulted in a large portion of knowledge of how forests work—to disrupts the canopy, allowing more the population never having support life on earth—is woefully sunlight to penetrate, drying things stepped foot in a real forest. If they lacking. Hence we are wide open, out, and supporting the have been into the at all, vulnerable and undiscerning proliferation of flammable chances are it was actually or had receptacles of nonsensical undergrowth. Further, it is well once been a tree plantation. industrial propaganda. established that protecting lives Remaining patches of old growth and property is best achieved by forest, or even diverse and healthy Somehow, we must find our way clearing trees in direct close secondary growth, are rare. back through the smoke and proximity to homes, not miles mirrors, beyond the propaganda away. Following the industrial revolution and misleading terminology, to a and the “timber boom’ that ensued reawakening of interest and In 2017, when catastrophic in the early 1900s it is estimated awareness of the precious nature wildfires swept through that more than two thirds of of real forests. A wholesale communities in California, American forests have been heavily rejection of the notion that forests republican leaders in the US cut or leveled at least once. The are a source of ‘renewable energy’ Congress capitalised on the mood giants that were cut – massive is urgently needed as nations to promote their agenda, towering pines, huge, abundant decide how to reduce greenhouse essentially arguing that forests and productive American chestnuts gas emissions. should be cut down to prevent (a major staple food source for them from burning. [14] The wildlife and people alike), great biomass industry hopes for towering firs, hemlocks, cedars, oak

[1] http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php/File:Table_1-Share_of_renewables_in_gross_inland_energy_consumption_2016.png [2] http://task40.ieabioenergy.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/IEA-Wood-Pellet-Study_final-2017-06.pdf [3] https://www.southernenvironment.org/uploads/maps/SELC_WoodPelletExportMap_2017_0707_map+table.pdf [4] https://www.nrdc.org/sites/default/files/enviva-wood-pellets-FS.pdf [5] https://www.southernenvironment.org/news-and-press/press-releases/statement-from-selc-on-new-report-assessing-threats-to-southeast-wildlife [6] https://www.drax.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Drax-Group-plc-annual-report-and-accounts-2016-Smart-Energy-Solutions.pdf p18 [7] Drax burned 6.6 million tonnes of pellets in 2016 (https://www.drax.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Drax-Group-plc-annual-report-and-accounts-2016- Smart-Energy-Solutions.pdf), made from 13.2 million tonnes of green wood. By comparison, the UK's total wood production that year was 11 million tonnes of green wood, according to the Forestry Commission (https://www.forestry.gov.uk/forestry/infd-7aqdgc). [8] Burning 6.6 million tonnes of pellets generated 12.7 TWh of electricity in 2016 (https://www.drax.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Drax-Group-plc-annual- report-and-accounts-2016-Smart-Energy-Solutions.pdf). The UK's total electricity use in 2016 was 303.8 TWh (https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/633029/DUKES_2017_Press_Notice.pdf), so Drax's biomass supplied 4.2% of UK electricity that year. However, electricity contributed just 17.5% of the UK's final energy demand that year. So Drax's biomass contributed 0.74% of the UK's final energy demand in 2016. [9] http://www.pfpi.net/carbon-emissions [10] https://www.drax.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Drax-Group-plc-annual-report-and-accounts-2016-Smart-Energy-Solutions.pdf p128 [11] https://eutoday.net/news/energy/2018/scientists-urge-eu-to-revise-renewable-energy-directive [12] http://biofutureplatform.org/statements/ [13] Bradley CM, Hanson CT and DellaSala DA (2016). Does increased correspond to higher fire severity in frequent-fire forests of the western United States? Ecosphere 7(10): e01492. 10.1002/ecs2.1492 [14] https://www.williamsnews.com/news/2017/nov/07/house-approves-bill-speed-logging-combat-wildfires

Forest Cover: a Global Forest Coalition newsletter on international forest policy April 2018 The big four drivers of deforestation 10

Palm oil and land grabbing in Cameroon

By Center for Environment and Development (CED), Cameroon

The financial crisis of 2008 and the subsequent growth in the SGSOC/Herakles was the largest demand for land in sub-Saharan Africa by transnational signed land deal in Cameroon at corporations led to a rush for land in Cameroon. Companies the time, and at least four lessons like Sime Darby, the Siva Group/Biopalm Energy, Goodhope, were learned from this case: Palmco, and SGSOC/Herakles all started requesting large areas of land for palm oil production. 1. The issue of legality. The company claimed to have a Many of these companies were entered into a contract with the contract for 73,000 ha but was from Asia, which is a global leader Government of Cameroon for never able to provide evidence in palm oil production. In 73,000 hectares of land. It was the of the size and location of the Cameroon, a total amount of 3 to 4 first in a new wave of land land that had been granted to million hectares was reportedly acquisitions, and CED was them by the Government of being claimed by these companies. particularly active on this case Cameroon. They had a very [1] In comparison, the size of because of the lessons that could detailed framework agreement existing agro-industrial plantations be drawn from it to inform with Cameroon, specifying the for all commodities in Cameroon advocacy work on the requested purpose (palm oil plantation), was just 350,000 hectares at the changes in the land law, especially the rent (0.5-1 dollar per hectare time. Many of these claims remain regarding the provisions on large per year), the length of the unconfirmed, but SGSOC/Herakles, scale land concessions. concession (99 years), the a New York based company, cession of carbon rights to the

A newly-planted palm oil plantation in Cameroon. Center for Environment and Development

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company [2] (even though Cameroon did not have in place legislation to this effect), and a diversity of other details, but neither the location nor the size were specified.

2. The complexity of the contract, which included so many detailed obligations for the host State, giving the impression that the contract was an asset in itself, and that the purpose was to pave the way for a future arbitration case.

Deforestation for palm oil in Cameroon. Center for Environment and 3. The lack of appropriate Development consultation with communities, and intimidation of community members either by the company The deal was obviously not a good Cameroon and abroad, and led to a or by the local administrative one for the Cameroonian State, and reduction in the size of the claimed authorities and security forces. NGOs were openly questioning why concession (from 73,000 ha to In some cases, the judiciary future land cessions should follow 20,000 ha). [4] It also succeeded in seemed to be privy to the the path of the SGSOC concession. replacing the claim with a harassment of community The conclusion of our findings was provisional land lease, to be members or local activists that the laws in Cameroon were not renewed subject to the during land transfers. [3] This strong enough to regulate this new performance of the company. trend gave the sad impression of rush for lands. The legislation a return to colonialism where should include clearer provisions to CED has since been active in the land could be taken by force protect the rights of communities ongoing discussion on the palm oil from those needing it the most, and give them the priority over policy in Cameroon. without any due consideration land and natural resources for their livelihood or their management. Environmental future. standards should be drastically improved as well, together with 4. The quality of environmental standards that protect the national and social standard development interests of the State. requirements was poor. One of the land concessions claimed by The successful campaign to voice the company was located in the the concerns of communities and middle of an ecologically provide additional arguments sensitive area of four national based on research conducted by parks or proposed national CED and its partners, brought parks. together a number of NGOs in

[1] http://pubs.iied.org/17571IIED/ [2] http://www.relufa.org/savesite/documents/13REASONSCED-RELUFAdocENGLISHTRANSLATION.pdf [3] https://www.business-humanrights.org/en/complaint-before-us-govt-alleging-intimidation-by-sgsocherakles-farms-in-land-transfers-in-cameroon-resolved-in- accord-between-company-ngos [4] http://www.bad-ag.info/bad-ag-campaigner-arbitrarily-detained-in-cameroon/

Forest Cover: a Global Forest Coalition newsletter on international forest policy April 2018 The big four drivers of deforestation 12

Biofuels for aviation: about to take off?

By Almuth Ernsting, Biofuelwatch, Scotland

The idea of using biofuels in aircraft has barely moved beyond change in 2018, with an expected publicity stunts so far, but there is a risk that this could change technical ruling that would allow in coming years. [1] the fastest-growing type of all biofuels—Hydrotreated Vegetable Airlines including United Airlines, European Commission, the US Oil (HVO)—to be used in aircraft Quantas, KLM, Lufthansa and government, and the International without the expensive upgrade Cathay Pacific have staged widely Civil Aviation Organization, ICAO (a currently required. Palm oil is by advertised flights fuelled with specialised UN organisation) have far the cheapest and technically blends of kerosene and biofuels. all been promoting the rapid most suitable HVO feedstock, and Yet there is still only one refinery in expansion of biofuel use in aircraft thus the only feasible source of the world which regularly produces for years. Neither biodiesel nor aviation biofuels, should this biofuels suitable for aviation and ethanol, which together account for market take off. even that one, operated by AltAir in 95% of global biofuel production at California, sells less than 7% of its present, are compatible with Growth in HVO production is the biofuels to airlines. aeroplane engines. So far, main reason why the EU’s use of producing biofuels that can be palm oil for biofuels increased Nevertheless, the International Air safely used in aircraft has been sixfold between 2010 and 2015. [2] Transport Association, the prohibitively expensive. This could Two large new palm oil HVO refineries are due to Open burning in a newly cleared rainforest for a palm oil plantation in West Kalimantan, open this year, one Borneo. David Gilbert for Rainforest Action Network/Flickr operated by Total in France, the other by Eni in Italy. The Finnish oil company Neste, which produces more HVO than all other companies together, will also increase its capacity by one million tonnes, using palm oil in the mix. All those companies hope to cash in on a future aviation biofuel boom too. So far, no airline wants to be seen to use palm oil, but

Forest Cover: a Global Forest Coalition newsletter on international forest policy April 2018 13 The big four drivers of deforestation

Jetstar CEO shows off the airline's first flight using 50% biofuels. Jetstar Airways/Flickr

companies like Neste are getting biofuels—from being translated airlines to achieve ‘carbon neutral around this by controversially into policy. growth’ with the help of biofuels as classifying a fraction of crude palm well as carbon offsets. oil as ‘wastes and residues’. Fortunately, large-scale aviation biofuels are not inevitable. Last Preventing this new market for In addition, this push for aviation October, just before an ICAO palm oil is vital if we are to avoid biofuels comes at a time when palm ‘Conference on Aviation and yet more deforestation. But the oil biofuel use is set to increase Alternative Fuels’, 96 civil society answer cannot be to allow the steeply anyway, due to new organisations endorsed an Open aviation industry to keep mandates in Indonesia, and plans to Letter against a proposal for high expanding by burning ever more ramp up biodiesel use in Malaysia, aviation biofuel targets made by fossil fuels. It must be to reverse Thailand, China, Japan and Norway. the ICAO Secretariat. [3] The the growth in aviation, resist Palm oil use in EU biofuels could conference ended without any airport expansions, move subsidies grow significantly as well, if biofuel targets being adopted at from planes to trains, and for aggressive Malaysian and all. The industry hasn’t given up, of people to fly less if at all. Indonesian government and course, and in June this year a new industry lobbying prevents an EU ICAO Secretariat proposal will be Parliament decision—in favour of put before delegates, this time to stopping support for palm oil in make it as easy as possible for

[1] http://www.biofuelwatch.org.uk/2017/aviation-biofuels/ [2] http://www.animus-csr.com/2017/01/23/the-real-impact-of-palm-oil-and-failed-policies/ [3] http://www.biofuelwatch.org.uk/2017/aviation-biofuels-open-letter/

Forest Cover: a Global Forest Coalition newsletter on international forest policy April 2018 The big four drivers of deforestation 14

Natural pine forests rich in biodiversity threatened by logging in Sweden

By Kristina Bäck and Skydda Skogen, Protect the Forest, Sweden

The Ore Forest Landscape is an extensive forest landscape, high conservation values, and the much of it unprotected natural pine forest. Despite its high NGOs have proposed to the County conservation values having been documented, the area is Administrative Board of Dalarna threatened by logging. that the area be turned into a nature reserve. Sadly, this wish has Most of the forest is managed by the In one of the threatened forests, a been ignored by the authorities. state-owned and FSC-certified forest tent has been set up for the company Sveaskog, which has volunteers who guard the forest In a recent film by Greenpeace [2], already logged more than 600 from logging. These volunteers the urgent situation in the Ore hectares of unprotected pine forests come from several organisations, Forest Landscape is described by with high conservation values within such as Greenpeace, Protect the Linda Spjut from Protect the Forest: the Ore Forest Landscape since Forest and The Swedish Society for “Sveaskog should support the 2013, and plans to continue logging Nature Conservation (SSNC). A list fulfillment of the Swedish it. Sveaskog sells sawlogs, pulpwood with 400 findings of 27 red-listed Environmental Objectives. for pulp and paper, and wood for species provides clear proof of the Sveaskog’s logging plans in this biofuels. [1] Since December 2017 volunteers Ore Forest Landscape, there are plans to log this natural pine forest. Sebastian Kirppu have been guarding the forest in an effort to prevent them from being logged.

In the Ore Forest Landscape, several forest areas with high conservation values are scheduled for logging. The Swedish Forest Agency—the authority whose duty it is to balance production and environment goals— refuses to survey key woodland habitats even after being informed of the rich biodiversity in these forest areas.

Forest Cover: a Global Forest Coalition newsletter on international forest policy April 2018 15 The big four drivers of deforestation forest are a scandal. I think many help prevent red-listed species from landscapes into monocultural more Swedes would join the protest disappearing. The forest companies plantations will lead to irreversible if they knew what is going on in their have a so-called ‘sector loss of biodiversity. By logging these forests.” responsibility’ which means that forests, the Swedish Environmental they should avoid logging in forests Objectives cannot be properly Also, in the same film, Greenpeace’s with high conservation values, rich in achieved. Protecting the existing Daniel Zetterström says: “We who biodiversity. There are also forests with high nature values is protest against the logging, demand authorities which are responsible for therefore a far more cost-effective that Sveaskog withdraws all their ensuring that Sweden achieves our measure for attaining these plans to log forests with high Environmental Objectives and objectives than having to restore conservation values in Ore Forest international agreements made with and re-create lost habitats.” Landscape, and in the rest of the UN, like the Aichi Target agreed Sweden. We want the Swedish Forest in the Nagoya meeting in 2010. All The threatened forests of the Ore Agency to carry out an inventory in these efforts are reduced to nothing Forest Landscape are just one these forests, and that the when forests like these, which are example of what is going on in government takes Sweden. There action to protect Ore Forest Landscape, after logging by Sveaskog. Sebastian Kirppu are several other these areas.” unprotected natural forests Moreover, Nature with high and Youth’s Linda conservation Johannesson says: values, and thus “It’s weird that rich biodiversity, state-owned which are Sveaskog planned for proceeds with logging. The last logging in remnants of biologically rich forests that have forests when at never been clear- the same time our cut before are environmental now being cut objectives state down. At present, that forests like only about 5% of these are the Sweden’s ones that should be spared. Areas of full of red-listed species, are being productive forest land is legally natural pine forest this large hardly cut down. All the work we have done protected. Below the mountainous exist anymore this far south.” is lost!” forest border, only 2% is legally protected. More than 90% of Sebastian Kirppu, a forest biologist Recently, 22 organisations wrote an Sweden’s forests are, or have been, who has been deeply involved in the open letter to the Swedish commercially used and are hence voluntary inventory of the forests, government demanding that logging affected by systematic forest says: “The Swedish Forest Agency should be halted in Ore . has based its assessment of the Landscape, and that the forests need forest on one single field visit, to be legally protected. The letter [3] In addition to this, appropriate care without doing any proper inventory states: is lacking when logging is done. of woodland key habitats.” To Radio There is a consensus among P4 Dalarna he says “We have a “The logging in these forests and Sweden's leading biology scientists forestry industry which is FSC- hence the transformation from that the Swedish forest policy is certified, and therefore they should biologically important forest threatening the biological diversity.

Forest Cover: a Global Forest Coalition newsletter on international forest policy April 2018 The big four drivers of deforestation 16

A tent for volunteers protecting the Ore Forest Landscape. A volunteer patrolling the Ore Forest Landscape to prevent Pär Wetterrot . Pär Wetterrot

In spite of this the Swedish A large proportion of the forests examples of FSC-certified government is advocating increased logged in Sweden are exported as companies logging old-growth forest production and the use of raw material, paper, pulp and other forests with high conservation bioenergy to replace fossil fuels. wood products to countries such as values and violating other criteria in They listen to the timber industry UK, Germany and USA. Customers the environmental certification that argues that forests should be in these countries usually receive rules. We therefore urge all clear-cut in order to mitigate climate guarantees from the Swedish forest concerned and customers in the change. This idea happens to industry that these products are countries that import forest coincide with the industry’s business produced in a sustainable way. products from Sweden to acquaint interest. They bluntly state on a Protect the Forest testifies that themselves with and to highlight the campaign website that the more Swedish forest companies' situation of the Swedish forests. We wood products you buy, the better operations are frequently far from have to stop the destruction of for the climate. The fact that logging being sustainable, either Europe’s last old-growth forests and natural forests and burning them for environmentally or socially, in order to do this we need to energy will actually worsen the especially in relation to the local cooperate internationally. climate situation is not mentioned. population. There are numerous

[1] https://www.sveaskog.se/en/about-sveaskog/sveaskog-in-brief/ [2] http://media.greenpeace.org/archive/Action-to-Protect-Swedish-Forest-Landscape-Ore-Skogsrike-(Soundbites)-27MZIFJXI70MD.html [3] http://www.skyddaskogen.se/sv/arkiv/154-svenska-kategori/aktuellt/pressmeddelanden/4536-oeppet-brev-till-mikael-damberg-karolina-skog-om-ore- skogsrike9241

Forest Cover: a Global Forest Coalition newsletter on international forest policy April 2018 17 The big four drivers of deforestation

Booming trade in biofuels and biomass devastating the Czech Republic’s wetlands, farms and forests

By Zdeněk Poštulka, Koalice pro řeky, Czech Republic

The overexploitation of soils in former Czechoslovakia dates back to the 1950s, when collectivisation and the intensification of agriculture started to take their toll, devastating the landscape. Hedgerows and forests were cut down in an attempt to make larger fields, and wetlands were drained.

Infrastructure designed to control prioritised arable farming. This water regime have taken place rivers was also rapidly expanded: newly drained arable farmland was across 1.1 million hectares of although such works were already created to compensate for land lost agricultural lands. 25.6% of the underway at the end of the 19th to concrete in the form of roads, the country’s agricultural soils has been century, renewed efforts to dam extension of settlements, etc. But drained, mostly by underground rivers and make hard concrete these changes resulted in extensive tubing drainage systems. [2] embankments became part of an erosion and water pollution, as well approach based on the idea that as the overproduction of food. Soil erosion is a serious problem, “we will command water and wind”. with 67% of our arable soil Since the beginning of the 20th endangered by erosion, and 21 During the 1970s, works on land century the Czech Republic has lost million tons of topsoil lost due to reclamation—mostly draining around a million hectares of erosion every year. Oilseed rape wetlands and floodplains and wetlands, floodplain forests and farming loomed, and after the converting them to arable systems. [1] Drainage transition to free market economics land—proceeded rapidly, as policies and other actions that harm the in 1990 we started to export biofuel

Logging in spruce forests increases soil erosion. Koalice pro řeky

Forest Cover: a Global Forest Coalition newsletter on international forest policy April 2018 The big four drivers of deforestation 18 feedstock commodities (such as rape and wheat) to countries in Western Europe. The new business had begun.

Our lowlands have since been subjected to the specialised production of biofuel crops and also maize for the production of biogas, which is used to produce electricity. This has been accompanied by a reduction in livestock farming, as Damage to wetland environments caused by logging. Koalice pro řeky agriculture companies focused mostly on these crops, and chemical fertilisers have been used instead of manure. Crop rotation favouring rape, maize and wheat also led to a rapid increase in the use of pesticides. Thus, groundwater in our lowlands is poisoned by glyphosates and other pesticide and fertiliser residues.

Nowadays, we need to set aside at least 400,000 ha of degraded arable fields for the restoration of our landscape through the introduction of agroforestry systems and the restoration of wetlands and floodplains. However, biofuels Transporting wood in floodplain plantations degrades water courses. Koalice pro řeky production continues to be incentivised by national and EU- wide policies. Under such our ‘close to nature’ beech forests The wood is then exported to circumstances we are doomed. were destroyed in the 18th century Poland and Austria, countries Although the European Parliament when wood was used to power all dependent on biomass to reach recently voted to end EU support kinds of early industrialisation. Due their sustainable energy targets. for biofuels from oil palm from to prevailing ideas from the Austrian Poland's example is particularly 2021 (pending an overall EU forestry school, natural forests were shocking, as they use co-firing of decision), it still left all the other replaced by spruce monoculture wood and coal in old coal power food crop biofuels on the table. plantations. Nowadays, however, plants as a main tool for achieving Since oil palm forms such a high these spruce plantations frequently their sustainable energy targets. proportion of first generation die due to dry summers, storms and Even when we have policies in place biofuels in the EU (33%), [3] the EU’s infestations of bark beetle. The trying to protect our forest soils and demand for rape, wheat, soy and beetle infestations in northern promote ‘close to nature’ forestry, sugar cane can be expected to rise Moravia have reached we can hardly prevent this dash for substantially, should the European unprecedented levels. Thousands of energy biomass in neighbouring Parliament's vote stand. hectares of trees have been states. damaged and heavy machinery is The production of wood biomass is being used to fight the bark beetle Exporting this wood conflicts with also a pressing concern. Remains of outbreak. our needs. We need to leave dead

Forest Cover: a Global Forest Coalition newsletter on international forest policy April 2018 19 The big four drivers of deforestation

wood on the spot in the damaged mountain catchments, to prevent soil erosion, enhance soil fertility, and enable stream and wetland restoration. Our mountain forests should be protected.

With regard to crop production for biofues, the EU ending support for first generation biofuels would be a positive step. Rape prices might then decrease, and so would the pressure on our landscape. Then we could more easily acquire land for the restoration of damaged .

A natural floodplain. Koalice pro řeky To achieve responsible and sustainable biomass production, we propose the replanting of up to 150,000 ha of floodplain forests, preferably on arable soils with five years flood return frequency; 50,000 ha of agroforestry systems; and 200,000 ha of hedgerows and wetlands on vulnerable arable soils, orchards, and poplar-willow stands, or reed beds, partly as non- intervention forest for permanent . We also propose the conversion of approximately 200,000 ha of the most vulnerable spruce plantations to near-natural forests within the next 10 years—providing an interim A coppiced woodland. Koalice pro řeky source of biomass—until newly- established coppice is ready for the first harvest for local use.

[1] http://www.hnutiduha.cz/sites/default/files/publikace/typo3/voda_zemedelstvi.pdf [2] http://www.hydromeliorace.cz/projekty/ishms/mapserv/pomoc/i_vekodv_p.htm [3] https://www.transportenvironment.org/newsroom/blog/will-eu-call-palm-oil-nations’-bluff?utm_source=T%26E+alert+emails&utm_campaign=2de064b7b1- EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2018_03_02&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_48950a8d32-2de064b7b1-119699241

Additional references: Ellison, D, et al, Trees, forests and water: Cool insights for a hot world, Global Environmental Change, vol. 43, Elsevier, 2017 Horvath, M, and Poštulka, Z, Methodology for the management of new established peasant adn coppice with standard forests: case study biocentre Čehovice Czech River Coalition, 2016, Olomouc Kaliský, B, Novotný, P, Poštulka, Z, Solisová, V, and Šrytr, J, TULES – Trvale udržitelná lokální energetická soběstačnost (TULES – Sustainable local energetic self sufficiency), British Council, 2007, Prague Pokorný, J, No wonder that is drought. Water Management Technical and Economical Information Journal, 2017, vol. 59, No. 4., Prague Poštulka, Z, Funding forests into the future: How the European Fund for Rural Development affects European forests, Case study Czech Republic, FERN, 2008, Brussels Poštulka, Z, Degrading ecosystems to prevent climate change: Can Czech forests and soils survive the dash for biomass?, FERN, 2012, Brussels Poštulka. Z, et al, Feasibility study of restoration of Blata stream in the cadastres of Vrbátky, Štětovice and Dubany. Czech River Coalition, 2015, Olomouc

Forest Cover: a Global Forest Coalition newsletter on international forest policy April 2018 The big four drivers of deforestation 20

Less meat, more forest: Brighter Green’s work in China

By Wanqing Zhou, Brighter Green, USA

Brighter Green, a New York-based public policy action tank, has been working with colleagues in developing countries on facilitating changes to decrease the consumption of animal-based foods, in order to reduce the impacts that these foods have on our climate, ecosystems, public health, socio-economic development, and animal welfare. China, where the market and multifaceted challenges have reached unprecedented scales, is a focus for Brighter Green.

To present the issue, Brighter Green Encounter with Factory Farming” factory farming” linking the world’s worked with Chinese documentary [3], which explores the multifaceted three biggest players in the meat filmmaker Jian Yi to create “What’s impacts of industrial animal industry—the US, China, and for Dinner?” (in 2009) and its follow- agriculture on China. In 2015, Brazil—and analysing the dynamics up piece “Six Years On” (in 2015), Brighter Green published a shaping this triangle. These the first documentary series on the discussion paper, “The Triangle: dynamics include industrial-scale meat issue in China. [1] In 2016 Jian The Evolution and Future of cattle ranching and growing and Brighter Green colleagues Industrial Animal Agriculture in the soybeans for animal feed, which visited North Carolina after U.S., China, and Brazil”, [4] which contribute to extensive Hurricane Matthew to document highlights the deforestation caused deforestation in countries such as the damage done to factory farms by the globalised meat and feed Brazil and Paraguay. and the environmental impacts of industry. It explores the “triangle of the overflowing lagoons. Many of these farms are The Good Food Roadshow team with participants at one of the workshops in Beijing. owned by China-based Brighter Green pork multinational WH Group. From a charter flight, some of the footage was live- streamed to a Chinese news portal, getting over 77,000 views. [2]

These documentaries are complemented by comprehensive research. In 2011, Brighter Green released a policy paper, “Skillful Means: The Challenges of China’s

Forest Cover: a Global Forest Coalition newsletter on international forest policy April 2018 21 The big four drivers of deforestation

In terms of public engagement, The final Good Food Roadshow workshop in Nanchang. Brighter Green since the kick-start of the screening tour of “What’s for Dinner?” in 2014, Brighter Green and colleagues have been building a network in China around the meat issue and its environmental and animal welfare impacts. Today, the official account on WeChat (the most popular social media app in China) has more than 6,000 subscribers, and two of the monthly live chats have featured Brazil-based researchers talking about the connection between meat and feed production, deforestation, and climate change.

In 2017, Brighter Green worked with the Good Food Fund to advance the work in China on awareness raising, institutional outreach, and original research, through the following projects:

1. Good Food Academy: a Chinese- based website [5] that educates users about the impacts of industrial agriculture, especially Vegan Energizing Nutty Bread made with local ingredients at Good Food factory farming. The team Roadshow workshop in Taipei. Brighter Green worked with leading international organisations in foods using fresh, local In 2018, Brighter Green plans to this field to translate and share ingredients. further its work to reduce meat cutting-edge reports. consumption in China, including 3. Good Food Hero Summit: a advancing the Good Food Academy 2. Good Food Roadshow: a symposium [7] where website, holding the second Good workshop tour [6] where the international experts on food Food Hero Summit, collaborating team worked with plant-based systems, nutrition, ethics, and with Yale Hospitality to promote a chefs from the US and local indigenous culture were joined healthier and more responsible farmers from 20 Chinese cities by 100 Chinese food activists to dining policy in Chinese to educate the public about the inspire research and action on educational institutions, and true cost of the industrial food reducing animal-based food conducting research on China’s system, and the benefits of consumption and promoting a food movement and industrial cooking healthy plant-based better food system. animal-based food industry.

[1] http://wfdinner.com/home/ [2] https://www.facebook.com/BrighterGreen/posts/10154760537161177 [3] http://brightergreen.org/china/ [4] http://brightergreen.org/the-triangle/ [5] http://www.goodfoodchina.net/ [6] http://www.goodfoodchina.net/roadshow.php [7] http://www.goodfoodchina.net/summit.php

Forest Cover: a Global Forest Coalition newsletter on international forest policy April 2018 The big four drivers of deforestation 22

What is being sacrificed for your premium piece of steak?

By Mary Louise Malig, Global Forest Coalition, Bolivia

There are numerous initiatives the world over asking consumers to reduce the amount of meat they consume. Some campaigns aim to ease change slowly but surely, by convincing consumers to have one day in the week when they do not eat meat. Many Catholics, by giving up meat for the season of Lent (40 days of sacrifice and reflection), signify that eating meat is important to them and that it is a sacrifice to give it up. But what is really being sacrificed to give you that piece of steak? It turns out the price is steep, it’s not just the animals themselves, it includes our forests and our climate as well.

Pan out to the bigger picture, and focused on beef, and who gives and A news article about the recent look at the lengths that countries gains what in return, in beef and in rounds of negotiations said: “At its and corporations go to, negotiating a whole range of other sectors from heart, any agreement will trade agreements, deals and tariffs, services to government depend on beef and and many more, around beef. procurement. It has taken them 20 ethanol—but mainly the beef. If Where will cattle be raised? How years of stop-go talks, and they Europe agrees to buy enough much beef can be produced and have yet to reach a deal. All this prime Latin American beef at sold? What might a country be might be about to change however. low tariff levels, Mercosur will ready to exchange in return for In recent months, the EU-Mercosur drop tariffs on leading EU increased market access for beef agreement has been gaining exports such as cars and exports? For the European Union momentum, moving ahead in a machinery.” [1] What Mercosur and the regional Mercosur bloc seeming rush to close the deal and wants is to export prime meat to —comprised of Argentina, Brazil, sign it. the EU. This with ethanol is one of Paraguay and Uruguay— its biggest ambitions. When one negotiations are very much hears this one could think that the

Deforestation for cattle ranching in the Chaco, Paraguay. Miguel Lovera/Iniciativa Amatocodie, Paraguay

Forest Cover: a Global Forest Coalition newsletter on international forest policy April 2018 23 The big four drivers of deforestation

A brief guide to the on-off EU-Mercosur Agreement negotiations Why is a deal that was being negotiated on and off considered Mercosur as too developed so it did not since 1999 with the coming into force of the qualify for the Special and Differential Treatment Cooperation Framework Agreement, suddenly the afforded to developing and least developed subject of a frenzied race to reach an agreement in countries in trade negotiations. The EU’s quotas 2018? And more importantly, what are both sides restricting agricultural imports were a point of aiming to get out of this deal? contention for Mercosur, and on the other side, the EU was dissatisfied with Mercosur’s offers on the Mercosur is a South American trade bloc established automotive sector. This stalemate continued from by the Treaty of Asunción in 1991 and the Protocol of 2004 to 2010, when negotiations briefly resumed, Ouro Preto in 1994. Its full members are Argentina, only to be paused again in 2012, and then restarted Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. Venezuela is also a full in 2016. member but has been suspended since 1 December 2016. Associate countries are Bolivia, Chile, Peru, Mercosur is one of the world’s leading exporters of Colombia and Ecuador. bovine meat. Their exports to the world have jumped since 2004. In 2017, they placed 2 million The current negotiations are between the European tons of fresh beef on the international market Union, a 28-nation bloc, and the founding members of accounting for around US$ 9 billion at an average Mercosur: Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. price of US$ 4,538/t. The main markets for Mercosur’s bovine meat include China, Russia and The early negotiations did not really have any common others. But the EU is of particular interest because ground that the two blocs could reach. The EU it’s a good destination for prime beef.

entire economy of Mercosur quota which is rather small when The singular drive to increase meat depends on meat exports and that looked at from a macro perspective, production by Mercosur this is crucial for the future of for something so much more governments strikes fear into the Mercosur and its people. However, significant such as government hearts of those who have already a deeper look reveals that this procurement, services and a host of witnessed and continue to witness actually reflects the interests of the other measures, is not a win at all. the large-scale destruction of large agribusinesses in those forests, biodiversity, ecosystems, countries who wield a lot of Going into the specifics of the communities, human health and influence. current negotiations, the maximum animals, as a result of quota that Mercosur might achieve unsustainable industrial livestock Meat is an important export for for beef would be something in the and feedstock farming spreading Mercosur, but it’s not its only region of 100,000 tonnes. From a across the countries of Mercosur export. The total exports of macro perspective, and considering and neighbouring countries in Mercosur to the world are US$ 221 the value and quantity of their South America. billion and the exports of meat to existing meat exports, this is not the world are US$ 9 billion. such a significant win—unless, you As many studies have already Exports to the EU were around US$ are looking at this negotiation from shown, with case studies and on 42 billion and meat exports were the perspective of the large cattle the ground accounts, the sector around US$ 1 billion. A quota may farmers and other meat-related brings in its wake a range of direct or may not boost the meat industry corporations in Mercosur who and indirect negative impacts of Mercosur but it is definitely stand to benefit the most from this including massive deforestation to being used by Mercosur to justify deal. make way for cattle ranching and the importance of the deal. monoculture soy plantations, and However, to exchange this meat the widespread displacement and

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Protesters target the WTO in Buenos Aires, Argentina. FueraOMC

dispossession of land of example in September 2017 the rights, its services, its government communities, forest dependent chairman of the Irish Cattle and procurement and so much peoples and Indigenous Peoples, Sheep Farmers’ Association said: more—in exchange for selling an as well as human health and “The ICSA is extremely concerned increased amount of premium animal welfare impacts. [2] For at this. If such an offer (85,000 beef. example, the 2016 State of the tonnes of beef for Mercosur to World’s Forests report refers to an the EU) is tabled it would have a It’s time to listen to the deafening analysis in seven South American very severe impact on European chorus of peoples’ voices opposing countries which found that 71% of beef markets and would hit Irish this deal. Actions must be taken to deforestation between 1990 and beef exports particularly hard.” put pressure on decision-makers 2005 was driven by increased [3] On 21 February 2018 French and governments to stop them demand for land while in Brazil the farmers held tractor protests to signing the disastrous EU-Mercosur figure was even higher, at 80%. voice similar concerns to deal. Macron. [4] Within the EU, Irish and French farmers had been ringing alarm Furthermore, the EU-Mercosur deal bells about the impacts that is an extremely lop-sided deal. It increased imports of beef from seems set to give away much of Mercosur would have on small Mercosur’s sovereignty—in the farmers in these countries. For form of its intellectual property

[1] https://www.politico.eu/article/mercosur-eu-deal-faces-race-against-the-clock/ [2] Case studies from Brazil, Bolivia, India, Paraguay and Russia can be seen in our report “What’s at Steak” http://globalforestcoalition.org/whats-steak-real-cost- meat/ [3] http://en.mercopress.com/2017/09/19/irish-and-french-farmers-warn-about-mercosur-eu-beef-negotiations [4] https://af.reuters.com/article/africaTech/idAFL8N1QB4P6

Forest Cover: a Global Forest Coalition newsletter on international forest policy April 2018