But our tropical forests are under threat. In the last 20 years, we have lost nearly 200 times the size of Wales to deforestation, largely driven by intensive agriculture. In fact, over 70% of all tropical deforestation is caused by a handful of agricultural products - products we buy, use and consume every day, including Brazilian beef, soy (mostly fed to livestock), palm oil, coffee and cacao/chocolate.
Often these impacts seem removed from our everyday lives. However, decisions we make here in terms of what we eat, buy and consume, how we bank, save and invest, have consequences overseas for tropical forests and their inhabitants. We are all part of the deforestation economy.
The impacts on biodiversity are well known, but less known are the social impacts. For example, Indigenous Peoples have lived in harmony and balance in forest biomes for millennia, stewarding and respecting the land, rivers, plants and animals. In fact, forests protected by Indigenous Peoples store more carbon and contain more biodiversity than those unprotected, yet they face increasing threats from intensive agriculture for products such as soy, which is used to feed livestock here in the UK. Size of Wales supports Indigenous Peoples, such as the Guarani People in the Atlantic forest in Brazil. Their villages in the State of Paraná are surrounded by monocrop soy plantations, which are sprayed with pesticides so toxic and carcinogenic they are banned in the UK and many other countries. In a horrible twist, some of these pesticides are produced here in the UK and exported abroad.
According to research carried out by Size of Wales, WWF Cymru and RSPB Cymru, 80% of soy imports in Wales and over 50% of palm imports are fed directly to livestock, with poultry consuming nearly half of imported soy feed. This destructive connection between the UK and tropical countries is clearly demonstrated in the river Wye catchment area, where it is estimated that intensive poultry units (IPUs) house a total of over 20 million birds at any given time. Our appetite for cheap chicken is having devastating consequences for nature and people both here and overseas. We can no longer ignore this toxic relationship.
Our relationship with palm oil is no better. Palm oil is often used as filler for more costly ingredients and is found in half of packaged food products sold in supermarkets, most of which are ultra-processed foods (UPF). UPF is linked to a range of poorer health outcomes, including obesity, type 2 diabetes and heart disease. The harm to our forest biomes from unsustainable production is reflected in the harm to our own health.
We need a dietary shift that moves us away from intensively produced commodities to a ‘less, but better’ model of consumption. Farmers need to be supported to adopt more nature-friendly farming practices that prioritise people and nature, such as regenerative, organic and agroforestry (farming with trees). We also need stronger legislation to prevent deforestation from being imported in the first place. We are pleased to see that the UK Government, in 2021, introduced new legislation in the Environment Act to tackle deforestation in UK supply chains. However, the legislation only applies to illegal deforestation, which is problematic as many global biodiversity hotspots either lack sufficient legal protections or have had those protections dismantled. Furthermore, it only applies to businesses with a global annual turnover of over £50 million that use over 500 tonnes of regulated commodities a year. Four years on, the secondary legislation has yet to be operationalised, so we are still not seeing this put into practice, despite commitments made by the UK Government and other global leaders at COP26 to halt and reverse deforestation and land degradation by 2030. Time is running out and the evidence is clear. If we want to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees, we must act now to halt and reverse tropical deforestation.
At Size of Wales, we are working across sectors to influence policy and behaviour change in relation to forest-risk commodities. Our flagship campaign calls for Wales to become a deforestation free nation and through our communities pilot, we have brought together schools, businesses, farms, community groups and local authorities in Monmouthshire to collectively tackle their overseas land footprint. School children have learned about the impacts and solutions for forest-risk commodities, investigated their school menus, reformulated recipes, raised awareness and advocated for change. This has resulted in a new generation of change makers and a unanimous vote from Monmouthshire County Council to become Wales’ first Deforestation Free Champion council. The success of this campaign reminds us of what we can achieve together. We are now looking at replicating this model in other counties to spread the campaign across the entire nation. Collectively, we can affect positive change for both current and future generations, for people and the planet.
References
Drivers of deforestation - Our World in Data
Soy, corn and livestock dominate 60% of the Avá-Guarani people’s territory (PR), reveals study
Wales and global responsibility
What's polluting the River Wye? - Herefordshire Wildlife Trusts
