Publications & Insight

Fern position on the EU-Mercosur agreement

This EU-Mercosur Free Trade Agreement will increase trade in the agricultural products that are the main drivers of deforestation in South America. This is opposite of what needs to happen for the EU to achieve its commitments to...

27/01/2021

Forest governance

Forest Governance 2 - February 2021

Forest governance in the Congo: Domestic advances but climate plans lag behind

27/01/2021

The EU LULUCF Regulation: Help or hindrance to sustainable forest biomass use?

The European Commission has stated that, “climate action is at the heart of the recently introduced European Green Deal”, including “ambitiously cutting greenhouse gas emissions” and reaching zero emissions by 2050. As part of the...

27/01/2021

Blogs

The EU's watershed deforestation moment?

This week Ursula von der Leyen signalled the EU’s desire to lead the world in the fight against global deforestation. But if the key drivers of deforestation aren’t addressed, progress will remain limited.

Until...

13/01/2021

FAQs

What is community forestry?

Community forestry is when “communities have the right to manage the forest resources upon which they depend, with a view to improving their living conditions.”  

Recognising, securing, and enforcing forest communities’ rights is...

07/01/2021

Blogs

In 2021 the EU’s policy choices will shape the fate of the world’s forests

Last year changed everything, and nothing. 

Almost overnight our lives were upended: businesses and economies ground to a halt, movement was constrained, and physical contact with others curbed. Yet our greatest challenge – the...

05/01/2021

Forest governance

Beyond commitments: How can Nationally Determined Contributions contribute to forest governance and resilient local communities?

In 2018, Fern and our partners revealed that many African states’ Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) pledges were not considering the need to improve forest governance. As countries are now preparing and communicating new...

22/12/2020

NGO Statements

The conservation model needs to change – Fern’s response to WWF’s review of human rights abuses

Efforts to protect and restore forests must recognise community rights to land. 

In early 2019, the environmental movement was rocked by reports that WWF financed and provided technical support to conservation projects that had...

21/12/2020

Blogs

Estonian forest politics in 2020: conflict intensifies

Almost a year ago, avid readers of Fern’s guest blogs learned that Estonian environmental NGOs were under pressure for challenging those spearheading the destruction of some of our country’s most precious habitats. The NGOs had...

21/12/2020

Forest Watch 261 - December 2020

Consumers ask Commission for binding rules to stop forest destruction

16/12/2020