The European Commission has proposed a law aimed at preventing the import of commodities linked to deforestation, including beef, soy, wood, palm oil, coffee and cocoa.
The proposed law would require companies to prove their global supply chains are not contributing to the destruction of forests, with proposed fines of up to 4 percent of a company’s turnover in an EU country for those that fail to comply.
According to Reuters, the law proposed by the European Union’s executive body sets mandatory due diligence rules for importers into the EU of soy, beef, palm oil, wood, cocoa and coffee, and some derived products including leather, chocolate and furniture.
World leaders agreed at this month’s COP26 summit to end deforestation by 2030.
Emissions from the land-use sector, most of which are caused by deforestation, are the second major cause of climate change after the burning of fossil fuels, the COP 26 summit was told.
EU climate policy chief Frans Timmermans said the proposed deforestation regulation answers European citizens’ calls to minimise the European contribution to deforestation.
If the law is approved by EU governments and the European parliament, companies operating in the 27-nation EU will have to show the commodities specified were produced in accordance with the laws of the producing country.
They will also have to show the commodities were not grown on any land deforested or degraded after Dec. 31, 2020, even if it is legal to produce there according to producing country law, according to Reuters.
The Commission hopes the law will be passed by 2023, with large companies given a 12-month grace period to comply and smaller ones a 24-month grace period.
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Given that as far as the Queensland government and the green movement is concerned any one who Blade ploughs brigalow country constitutes deforestation, will the governments stand up and fight for farmers or will they just roll over.
That is ok. Each country can determine how their people are fed.
Given that all of Europe was once covered by forest which the ancestors of the current residents progressively cleared over the centuries, it is a bit rich that these people now take the arrogant high ground and demand that producers demonstrate that their commodities are not grown on deforested or degraded land.
Every sensible person on the planet knows they have to do their share to keep emissions under control, but that starts with the major emitters, followed by the lesser emitters, and not in any other order.
When a movement manipulates and inflates the threats, exaggerates the predictions of doom, and ramps up it’s unjustified and unreasonable demands upon the lesser emitters, what does that tell you?
The EU has a warped sense of fairness, and a short memory with regard to their own contributions. The EU want a clean slate for themselves.