Deforestation of the Amazon rainforest

Background

Throughout 2023, the EESC delegations took part in numerous Euro-Latin American dialogues, held meetings with representatives of Latin American parliaments and civil society discussing the topic of deforestation in the Amazon and its negative impact on the global climate and local ecosystems and communities. The EESC Latin America Follow-up Committee decided to work on an own-initiative opinion on the matter.

The opinion will also look at the link between the deforestation of the Amazon rainforest and climate change, and examine how the policies promoting sustainable economic growth and trade between the European Union and Mercosur can be a factor for a positive change, empowering the citizen.

The EESC wishes to take an institutional position and provide the EU organised civil society's view on the crucial role the condition of the Amazon rainforest plays in stabilizing the global climate and on the importance of biodiversity protection for the world's food security, and carbon dioxide capture.

Key points

In the opinion, the EESC:

  • recommends that measures to address deforestation must cover all the main commodities posing risk for forests, and must involve action on both supply and demand sides: governing trade as well as production. Implementation will need agreed systems for monitoring, traceability and transparency;
  • believes that a balanced agreement between Mercosur and the EU would create a stable framework to foster trade while securing the environmental and labour aspects, including the fight against deforestation. The agreement must promote sustainable development and foster deep integration between the two parties, build modern and sophisticated regional value chains, lower trade costs and reduce uncertainty;
  • Supports the EU climate diplomacy and work together with partner countries towards increasing their climate ambitions while supporting the most vulnerable. Climate change must be seen as both an environmental problem and a social problem to which solutions must be found that address multiple challenges, including tackling poverty and inequality, food and water insecurity, biodiversity loss and health crises;
  • serving as a bridge between the European institutions and organised civil society, can play a facilitating role by developing meaningful dialogue with counterparts in Latin American countries and by building trust that the transition to sustainable use of resources can be a move towards greater prosperity.

Additional information

EESC section: External Relations (REX)

Opinion number: REX/586-EESC-2024

Opinion type: Own-initiative opinion

Rapporteurs: John Comer (Civil Society Organisations -GR III/Ireland), Josep PUXEU ROCAMORA (Employers - GR I/Spain), Carlos SILVA (Workers - GR II/Portugal)

Date of adoption by section: 17/07/2024

Date of adoption in plenary: 18-19 September 2024

Result of the vote in plenary: 130 in favour/0 against/1 abstention

Contact

Millie Tsoumani

Press Officer, Tel.: +32 (0) 2 546 9088, Email: Amalia.Tsoumani@eesc.europa.eu 

Ewa Tomaszewska

Administrator, Policy Officer, Tel.: +32 (0) 2 546 9724, Email: Ewa.Tomaszewska@eesc.europa.eu