This morning European Union (EU) policymakers finished negotiating a new Regulation that aims to prevent agricultural goods tainted by deforestation from being imported into the EU market. While this is an historic first, the law fails to include strong provisions to protect the land rights of Indigenous Peoples and local communities, who time and time again have proven to be the best guardians of the forests.
“For months, Indigenous Peoples from around the world have called on the EU to protect their rights in the Regulation. Last night EU policy makers ignored these pleas – and the overwhelming wishes of EU citizens – and failed to do so.
This is a serious omission.
Failing to require companies to ensure that goods are produced in accordance with international human rights laws and respect for Indigenous Peoples‘ rights means relying on national governments to do so.
In Brazil, we have seen the deadly consequences of this: in the last four years, Bolsonaro’s administration relentlessly attacked Indigenous Peoples‘ rights, as deforestation accelerated in the Amazon.
By failing to ensure that products placed on the EU market comply will international human rights laws on Indigenous Peoples, the EU has missed the chance to signal to the world that the most important solution to stopping deforestation is upholding Indigenous‘ rights,” said Nicole Polsterer, Sustainable Consumption and Production campaigner at Fern.
