Source · Select Committees · Environmental Audit Committee
Fourth Report - The UK's contribution to tackling global deforestation
Environmental Audit Committee
HC 405
Published 4 January 2024
Recommendations
24
Accepted in Part
Para 84
Ensure due diligence system prevents products illegally produced regarding land use and customary rights.
Recommendation
We recommend that provision be made in the due diligence system—by amendment to primary legislation, if necessary—to ensure that products are not illegally produced in relation to land use and land ownership laws, including customary tenure rights.
Government Response Summary
The government states its due diligence legislation already applies to indigenous peoples' rights where protected by national laws. It commits to supporting producer countries in enforcing and enhancing their legal frameworks for land governance and protection of communities’ land rights through various FCDO programmes.
32
Accepted in Part
Para 105
Fulfil pledged funding commitments, continue diplomatic efforts, and restore UK domestic forests.
Recommendation
Decisive action must follow these commitments if the Kunming-Montreal goal of halting and reversing biodiversity loss by 2030 and the commitments of the Glasgow Leaders’ Declaration and subsequent COP agreements are to be met. The UK must lead by example, …
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Government Response Summary
The government affirms its commitment to invest at least £1.5 billion in UK International Climate Finance, demonstrating it is on track to deliver this funding pledge. It provides detailed figures on current and future forest programming, including new funding announcements at COP28 for programmes like the Amazon Fund and IFSLU.
41
Accepted in Part
Para 150
Share government review report widely and thoroughly incorporate lessons into future UK programmes
Recommendation
We recommend that the report of the Government review should be shared widely, including with the relevant EU authorities and Member States preparing for the successor programme to FLEGT-VPA. Lessons learned should be incorporated thoroughly into future UK programmes so …
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Government Response Summary
The government confirms the FLEGT Post Implementation Review (PIR) will be published shortly and made widely accessible, and that it reflects country-specific factors. It commits to sharing the review internally and conducting further analysis of lessons learned, but does not explicitly commit to sharing with EU authorities.
48
Accepted in Part
Conduct sustainability impact assessments and develop strategies for environmental net gains in trade agreements
Recommendation
We reiterate the recommendation of our 2021 report on the UK’s footprint on global diversity: sustainability impact assessments must be conducted for all future trade agreements. Ministers must develop strategies for the effective monitoring and delivery environmental net gains, including …
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Government Response Summary
The government states that published impact assessments for new Free Trade Agreements already include environmental impacts like deforestation. However, regarding developing strategies for effective monitoring and delivery of environmental net gains, they have only undertaken research exploring its feasibility over the last 18 months.