This is not a world first, but certainly a welcome step. Customers shouldn’t be forced to be complicit in the illegal destruction of the world’s forests. However, if the UK really wants to show leadership on climate and forests, it needs to go further. Here’s how: [thread] https://twitter.com/ZacGoldsmith/status/1326456833498894336

Go beyond illegality. From Brazil to Indonesia, custodians of rainforests are rolling back env protections. Rather than relying on laws that don't ensure sustainability, biz should be required to source commodities from land that has already been deforested-there's enough of it

Respect and protect rights. Forest peoples are the best protectors of forests – it’s no surprise, their livelihoods depend on it. Require businesses to protect and respect their rights, including rights over their traditional lands.

Emissions capping. Forests store billions of tons of carbon - unless we destroy them. Deforestation accounts for approx. 11% of GHG emissions driving climate change. Businesses should be required to protect carbon sinks and cap emissions from land conversion in their operations.

Transparency. Businesses can’t discharge resp to ensure their operations are not fueling abuses and env destruction unless they scrutinize the practices of their suppliers. Require businesses to disclose names, locations and other important info of entities in their value chain.

Enforcement. Impose penalties for non-compliance to level the playing-field between businesses that protect people and planet, and those who don’t. With the right structure of incentives, sustainability can be a competitive advantage.

Access to remedy. Include potential liability for human rights and environmental harms caused by or substantially contributed to by a business. Businesses should be held accountable when their operations negatively impact people and planet.

Broad scope. All business entities that use forest and ecosystem-risk commodities in their own operations and business relations, and in their global value chains, should be covered under the due diligence legislation, including financial institutions.

Many businesses support a more ambitious approach than what the government has put forth – 21 major companies, incl. multinationals like Nestlé, urged the government to adopt legislation that bans commodities from newly deforested land, as we propose. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-10-04/u-k-supermarkets-want-tougher-regulations-to-stop-deforestation?sref=ctBvGsRJ

If the UK wants to champion the cause of forests at COP26, it should start at home by adopting robust legislation that can indeed be a world first - not the narrow proposal that mirrors laws in force in EU and US. The clock is ticking for the planet. @hrw: https://www.hrw.org/news/2020/10/22/human-rights-watch-submission-uk-department-environment-food-and-rural-affairs