"European consumers can now shop with peace of mind. When we enjoy chocolate or coffee, we won't be unwittingly contributing to deforestation," a member of parliament said after the European Parliament voted to approve a new law on the 19th. The new law requires that imported goods potentially linked to deforestation be subject to "due diligence" reports, verifying that the products are not sourced from farmland cleared by burning forests and that they do not harm local human rights. Global deforestation is a serious problem. Large tracts of forest are being cut down to produce more cattle, cocoa, coffee, palm oil, and timber, and EU consumption is responsible for 10% of global deforestation. However, the new law has sparked protests from countries such as Malaysia and Brazil. While it still requires a vote by the Council of Member States before it officially takes effect, the Parliament and the Council reached an agreement late last year and it is expected to pass smoothly. The European Parliament demands a "due diligence" report to prevent consumption from contributing to deforestation. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates that approximately 420 million hectares of forest have been converted to agricultural land over the past 30 years—an area larger than the entire European Union. EU consumption accounts for approximately 10% of global deforestation. Among them, palm oil and soybean consumption are the largest, accounting for about 2/3. Products covered by the new law include cattle, cocoa, coffee, palm oil, soybeans, rubber, charcoal, wood, and leather, chocolate, furniture, printing paper, palm oil derivatives, etc. made from these products. The EU does not ban the import of these goods, but requires products to provide a "due diligence" report to confirm that they meet the "zero deforestation" standards. Products cannot come from forests that have been deforested after December 31, 2020.
