Independent Dialogue
Geographical focus:
No borders
Main findings
The Dialogue concluded that due diligence can be an efficient tool to achieve sustainable supply chains and reduce trade-offs between agriculture and forests, when implemented correctly. Country experiences, and the lessons shared by other invitees demonstrated that Government’s support is critical to boost initiatives undertaken by the private sector, in order to achieve deforestation-free supply chains. Setting up tools that facilitate stakeholder engagement and dialogue among all the participants of the value chain, from producers to industrials and traders, and including the civil societ
... Read morey and public authorities, can be a key for success. Special efforts should also be made to spread technologies to improve traceability and national forest information systems, but also improve the development of platforms to facilitate information exchange. Regarding the possibility of regulatory frameworks making due diligence compulsory, participants stressed that legislation should apply to all players along the value chain to ensure sufficient traceability and transparency. Progress has already been realized in some countries, supply chains and existing systems, which demonstrates why products that are not linked to deforestation should be acknowledged by new regulations. The Dialogue also insisted on the importance of fixing practical aspects like definitions of monitoring and reporting methods (harmonized indicators and criteria for disclosure) to ensure policy effectiveness in halting deforestation. It concluded on the possibility to build upon the numerous existing initiatives, highlighting the urgent need to support small and medium producers and market participants to integrate the dynamics of responsible business conduct favorable to forests. Read less
Action Track(s): 3, 4, 5
Keywords: Environment and Climate, Governance, Policy, Trade-offs