From EU biodiversity policy to global impact: driving nature-positive change worldwide

As a collaborative output of different projects including CLEVER, our policy brief Leveraging EU biodiversity policy towards net positive impacts on global biodiversity outlines a science-based strategy to align EU policies for global biodiversity restoration. It addresses the insufficient progress toward Biodiversity Strategy 2030 targets caused by unsustainable practices, climate change, and geopolitical tensions. The policy brief emphasizes that consumption in the EU drives environmental pressures abroad, thus requiring stronger trade regulations like the EU Deforestation Regulation. Key recommendations for EU decision makers are:

  • Use detailed land-use planning to guide local environmental policies while expanding trade and financial rules to safeguard diverse ecosystems and support conservation efforts in other countries.
  • Prioritize biodiversity by making it a core requirement in all domestic land-use and economic planning while ensuring international trade and finance agreements carry the same environmental weight as economic goals.
  • Build fair, inclusive partnerships by involving local stakeholders in policy planning and working directly with major trading countries to share the responsibility and benefits of protecting nature.

Access the policy brief here: Leveraging EU biodiversity policy towards net positive impacts on global biodiversity

Featured image: jplenio (https://pixabay.com/de/photos/b%c3%a4ume-moos-wald-sonnenlicht-3294681/)

Path to Zero Deforestation? Mitigating Cattle-Driven Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon

Cattle-driven deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon accounts for over 70% of forest loss. To curb this, we must enhance supply chain transparency, enforce zero-deforestation commitments, and support farmers in sustainable practices. The path to zero deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon starts with accountability. Expanding the scope of zero-deforestation commitments, transparent supply chains, and strengthening farmer capacity are key to stopping cattle-driven forest loss.

Read the policy brief.

Policy Brief on the EUDR and Brazil’s forest conservation

The EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) aims to reduce the adverse impacts of EU imports on global forests, climate change, and biodiversity as of December 31, 2024. It mandates due diligence for products containing forest-risk commodities such as beef, cocoa, coffee, palm oil, rubber, soy, and wood to ensure they do not come from recently deforested areas.

Although this is celebrated as groundbreaking, there are concerns about the high costs of compliance for all market participants, especially small producers. Using Brazil as an example, the policy brief “The EU Regulation on Deforestation-free products at odds with forest conservation in Brazil? A commentary” discusses plausible scenarios in which the EUDR could also lead to unintended and undesirable impacts on forests.

The commentary was written by Jan Börner, Laila Berning, Daniel Braun, Thomas Dietz, Johen Dürr, Fernanda Martinelli, Paulo Mortara-Batistic, Felipe Nunes, Gustavo Magalhaes Oliveira, Andrea Pacheco, Britaldo Soares-Filho, Metodi Sotirov, Daniel Vargas and Rafaella Ziegert for the Agricultural Policy Dialogue Brazil-Germany (APD).

Feature image by Xico/AdobeStock.