Publications & Insight

News, Forest Watch

Forest Monitoring Law: a huge opportunity to advance climate and biodiversity goals

The proposed Forest Monitoring Law is a great step forward, but to truly deliver change on the ground it must also include a requirement for positive strategic action.

12/12/2023

News, Forest Watch

Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation: European Parliament caves in to industry pressure

Negotiations saw unbridled industry lobbying against meaningful inclusions in the Regulation – their victory is forests’ loss.

12/12/2023

News, Forest Watch

EU announces long-awaited support facility for countries developing deforestation-free value chains

Nearly six months after the ground-breaking EU Regulation on deforestation-free products (EUDR) entered into force, Team Europe – the initiative uniting the European Commission and its Member States – has launched an ambitious support facility for “Deforestation-free Value Chains”.

12/12/2023

NGO Statements

Blue Carbon and the New Scramble for Africa’s Forests

Blue Carbon LLC, a private company based in Dubai, is finalising deals with at least six African countries to acquire huge swathes of their forests to harvest carbon credits. Although the deals are shrouded in secrecy, it appears that at least 25 million hectares of forests – an area larger than the UK – may be handed to Blue Carbon.  

29/11/2023

Briefing Notes

At the crossroads? A brief analysis of the European wood pellets market in 2022 and 2023

The European wood pellets market has been the world's largest for more than 15 years, driven by EU renewable energy policies authorising EU Member States to subsidise energy companies burning wood and the purchase of wood pellets...

27/11/2023

Forest Watch

European wood pellet markets shrunk in 2022, industrial demand remains low in 2023

Electricity produced by burning wood pellets decreased in absolute terms for the first time in 2022, while wind and solar rose.

Driven by EU policy and strong national incentives for both industrial and residential use, the...

24/11/2023

Forest governance, News

The Scramble for Africa’s Forests

A vast carve up of Africa’s forests is underway in the name of protecting the planet. Those opposing this carbon colonialism must stand firm, says Alexandra Benjamin. 

23/11/2023

Press Releases

Commission resists efforts to sabotage Forest Monitoring Law - but only binding commitments will make it work

The European Commission’s proposal for a forest monitoring law, which was published today, is a commendable attempt to tackle the grave challenges facing European forests - yet does not require Member States to act on the data they will be required to gather on the state of their forests.

22/11/2023

Forest governance, Briefing Notes

What impact will the EUDR have on VPAs and FLEGT Licensing?

This year the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) has entered into implementation. One of the commodities included within the legislation is timber.  

As mentioned within the EUDR, this legislation should build upon the positive...

21/11/2023

Forest governance, News, Partner Voices

Why we can’t allow the EU-Republic of Congo forest partnership to lose momentum

In 2013, the Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) between the government of the Republic of Congo and the European Union (EU) entered into force, with the aim of addressing problems related to forest governance and illegal...

20/11/2023