Deforestation of the Amazon rainforest – impact on climate change and the global environment; consequences for companies, workers and population

Key points:

In this opinion, the EESC:

• recommends that measures to address deforestation must cover all the main commodities posing risk for forests, and must involve action on both supply and demand sides: governing trade as well as production. Implementation will need agreed systems for monitoring, traceability and transparency;
• believes that a balanced agreement between Mercosur and the EU would create a stable framework to foster trade while securing the environmental and labour aspects, including the fight against deforestation. The agreement must promote sustainable development and foster deep integration between the two parties, build modern and sophisticated regional value chains, lower trade costs and reduce uncertainty;
• supports the EU climate diplomacy and work together with partner countries towards increasing their climate ambitions while supporting the most vulnerable. Climate change must be seen as both an environmental problem and a social problem to which solutions must be found that address multiple challenges, including tackling poverty and inequality, food and water insecurity, biodiversity loss and health crises.
• serving as a bridge between the European institutions and organised civil society, can play a facilitating role by developing meaningful dialogue with counterparts in Latin American countries and by building trust that the transition to sustainable use of resources can be a move towards greater prosperity.