Source · Select Committees · Environmental Audit Committee
Recommendation 9
9
Accepted
Paragraph: 38
Government holds significant opportunity to drive sustainable public sector procurement.
Conclusion
Given the scale of government purchasing power, both centrally and across the wider public sector, the UK Government has an opportunity, and a responsibility, to drive best practice and to demand the use of sustainably sourced products.
Government Response Summary
The government states that the Environment Act will require large organisations using forest risk commodities to ensure compliance with local land laws, and commits to publishing a review of the Forest Risk Commodity scheme two years after it comes into force to assess its effectiveness.
Paragraph Reference:
38
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
The Environment Act will require large organisations that use forest risk commodities in their commercial activity in the UK to ensure that those commodities were produced in compliance with local laws relating to land ownership and use. It recognises the primacy of national and sub-national governments’ decisions in determining the management of their natural resources. Commodity-driven deforestation is widely conducted in violation of national laws; at least 69% of tropical deforestation from 2013–2019 associated with commercial agriculture is estimated to be illegal.1 This rate is higher in many key producer countries from which the UK imports and significantly higher for the four commodities proposed for initial regulation. Supporting countries to eliminate the illegal production of forest risk commodities therefore has the potential to significantly reduce global forest loss. 1 Illicit Harvest, Complicit Goods report work in partnership with producer countries – and that working in partnership requires us to uphold and respect national laws.2 Our due diligence legislation is accompanied by a wider package of measures to support producer countries in strengthening their forest governance and domestic laws. Our experience has shown that implementing a legality-based approach under the Timber Regulations and the Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade Action Plan has contributed to improved forest governance, including strengthened regulations that provide legal backing for sustainable forestry in these countries. Similarly, in relation to the UK Forest Risk Commodity scheme, our aim is to encourage governments in producer countries to strengthen and improve environmental protections in their legislative frameworks. Through this approach we have the potential to influence all production within a country, rather than just what the UK imports, thereby reducing the risk of market redirection leakage. Schedule 17 of the Environment Act commits the Government to publishing a review into the effectiveness of the Forest Risk Commodity scheme in reducing commodity-driven deforestation two years after it comes into force. This review will consider, among other indicators, any changes to national laws that provide protection for forests, in order to ensure that our legislation is having the intended impact.