WEBINAR: Financial Risks of Commodity-Driven Deforestation – Lessons from 10 Years of CRR

Chain Reaction Research (CRR), joined by Green Century and Solidaridad Network, hosted this webinar to review the work of the CRR consortium over the past decade and discuss deforestation financial risks for palm oil, soy and beef have evolved over that time. Our work has drawn upon on-the-ground investigations, satellite analysis, economic modeling and other …

Financial Risks of Commodity-Driven Deforestation: Lessons from 10 Years of CRR

In the last decade, there have been large strides made in tackling commodity-driven deforestation: Awareness of the impacts of forest loss and degradation on climate change has grown; deforestation rates in Southeast Asia have declined; and corporate accountability and (financial) transparency in supply chains have improved. This report looks back at ten years of Chain …

The Chain: Cracks in Financial Institutions’ Responsibility Status in Deforestation Regulation

Internationally, financial institutions (FIs) continue to be exempt from crucial regulations to raise their efforts and responsibility to halt deforestation and human rights violations linked to supply chains they finance. Recently, however, some initial steps were proposed in Brazil to change this situation, and a report on Rabobank showed that the environmental and social damage …

The Chain: EU Corporations, Investors Face Sustainability Due Diligence Obligations

The European Parliament adopted its negotiating position on the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) on June 1, 2023. Under the CSDDD, companies — potentially including those in financial services — will be obligated to demonstrate what action they are taking to protect not only the environment, but also human rights. Due diligence is not …

Lack of Cross-Commodity NDPE Implementation Allows Deforestation

Palm oil buyers with No Deforestation, No Peat, No Exploitation (NDPE) policies have increasingly removed deforestation-linked palm oil suppliers from their supply chains. However, some palm oil buyers remain linked to deforestation as their palm oil suppliers continue to deforest in other sectors, such as timber and mining. Currently, NDPE policies are still applied to …

WEBINAR: Why Cross-Commodity Policies Are Critical to Ending Southeast Asia Deforestation

The palm oil sector has seen significant decreases in deforestation over the past few years with most land clearing done by just a few companies. However, deforestation in Southeast Asia is still a cause for concern, and many palm oil suppliers are tied to subsidiaries and other entities clearing new land for timber and mining. …

The Chain: Bumitama Clarifies Sourcing Policies After Palm Oil from Deforestation-Linked PT Permata Sawit Mandiri Enters Its Mills

On November 24, 2022, the palm oil company Bumitama Agri Ltd issued a statement clarifying its commitment to its No Deforestation, No Peat, No Exploitation (NDPE) policy. The statement came after it was uncovered that a non-compliant supplier, PT Permata Sawit Mandiri (PSM), had entered Bumitama’s supply chain. Fresh fruit bunches (FFB) from PT PSM …

EU Deforestation Law: Traceability Viable in Brazilian Cattle and Soy Supply Chains

This report discusses the traceability requirement of the new EU regulation on deforestation-free products and the feasibility of its implementation in cattle and soy supply chains in Brazil. Traceability is crucial to ensure that commodity production is not linked to deforestation or forest degradation. Download the PDF here: EU Deforestation Law_Traceability Viable in Brazilian Beef …

The Chain: Top Ten Deforesters Clear 8,100 Hectares on Oil Palm Concessions During 1H 2022, a Significant Increase Versus 2021

Analysis conducted by CRR partner AidEnvironment shows that Indonesia remains the deforestation hotspot in the Southeast Asia, based on concession data for the first six months of 2022. Data shows that the top 10 deforesters together contributed to 8,100 hectares (ha) of forest loss, and all the concessions featured in the top 10 list are …

The Chain: Cargill and Bunge’s Links to Contested Farm in Brazil, Human Rights Violations Contradict Upcoming EU Regulations

Cargill and Bunge, the world’s two largest traders of Brazilian soy, have been recently linked to a contested farm in Brazil, connecting the companies to human rights violations of traditional communities. Earthsight and De Olho nos Ruralistas, two non-profit organizations in the UK and Brazil, recently found that Cargill and Bunge are sourcing soy from …