UK Supermarkets Push for Amazon Soy Safeguards as International Traders Abandon Moratorium
In a move to salvage what's left of the world's most successful forest protection agreement, leading British and European retailers have joined forces to push for Amazon soy safeguards. The 20-year-old moratorium, which aimed to prevent grain production linked to deforestation in the Amazon biome, was abandoned by international traders earlier this month.
The collapse of the moratorium is a major blow to conservation efforts, with scientists warning that destruction of the world's biggest tropical rainforest is approaching a point of no return. Without their participation, stakeholders risk embarking on a "free-for-all race to clear land," according to supporters of the moratorium.
Tesco, Sainsbury's, Asda, and other high street brands have issued an open letter to major traders of soy, including Cargill, Bunge, Louis Dreyfuss, and Chinese state-owned firm Cofco. They demand that the traders and producers clarify whether they still adhere to previous commitments on climate and environment and can make assurances about reporting, monitoring, and verification of their supply chains.
The retailers argue that the absence of the moratorium will damage consumer confidence unless new arrangements are put in place to prevent deforestation. They claim to continue applying the key principle of the soy moratorium - not sourcing grain for Amazon land cleared after 2008 - but need a substitute for the moratorium to avoid supply chain uncertainty and backlash from consumers.
Cargill, Bunge, and ADM have their own sustainable supply chain policies against deforestation, but without the moratorium, there is a risk they will pursue different paths using separate criteria. Conservation groups including WWF and Greenpeace warn that land speculators are already moving into the Amazon in expectation of the 2008 cutoff date being moved, which would reward them for destruction.
The UK supermarkets' push for Amazon soy safeguards highlights the growing concern over deforestation in the Amazon biome and the need for effective measures to prevent it. With the world's biggest tropical rainforest approaching a point of no return, stakeholders must come together to protect this critical ecosystem.
In a move to salvage what's left of the world's most successful forest protection agreement, leading British and European retailers have joined forces to push for Amazon soy safeguards. The 20-year-old moratorium, which aimed to prevent grain production linked to deforestation in the Amazon biome, was abandoned by international traders earlier this month.
The collapse of the moratorium is a major blow to conservation efforts, with scientists warning that destruction of the world's biggest tropical rainforest is approaching a point of no return. Without their participation, stakeholders risk embarking on a "free-for-all race to clear land," according to supporters of the moratorium.
Tesco, Sainsbury's, Asda, and other high street brands have issued an open letter to major traders of soy, including Cargill, Bunge, Louis Dreyfuss, and Chinese state-owned firm Cofco. They demand that the traders and producers clarify whether they still adhere to previous commitments on climate and environment and can make assurances about reporting, monitoring, and verification of their supply chains.
The retailers argue that the absence of the moratorium will damage consumer confidence unless new arrangements are put in place to prevent deforestation. They claim to continue applying the key principle of the soy moratorium - not sourcing grain for Amazon land cleared after 2008 - but need a substitute for the moratorium to avoid supply chain uncertainty and backlash from consumers.
Cargill, Bunge, and ADM have their own sustainable supply chain policies against deforestation, but without the moratorium, there is a risk they will pursue different paths using separate criteria. Conservation groups including WWF and Greenpeace warn that land speculators are already moving into the Amazon in expectation of the 2008 cutoff date being moved, which would reward them for destruction.
The UK supermarkets' push for Amazon soy safeguards highlights the growing concern over deforestation in the Amazon biome and the need for effective measures to prevent it. With the world's biggest tropical rainforest approaching a point of no return, stakeholders must come together to protect this critical ecosystem.
. Can't they see how devastating deforestation is going to be for the planet? The UK supermarkets are right to push for Amazon soy safeguards, though - it's the least they can do to make sure consumers aren't supporting loggers and land speculators.
The fact that conservation groups like WWF and Greenpeace are already warning of land speculators moving into the Amazon because people think it's a free-for-all is just, like, super concerning 
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like we're running out of time to save that place and now the moratorium is GONE?! 
i mean what's the point of having a supermarket if you're just gonna sell soy that's contributing to deforestation? 
but we need more ppl on board, like, seriously who's not doing anything about this?! 
it's not just about us consumers, it's about the future of our planet 
I'm totally stoked that Tesco, Sainsbury's, and the rest are trying to salvage what's left of the Amazon soy moratorium 
. It's like, totally essential that we protect our planet's most vital ecosystems 
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. It's about time we hold big companies accountable for their actions 
. And can we please get some more transparency in supply chains? It's like, so hard to know what's really going on behind the scenes 
. We need to keep the pressure on until they agree to do something concrete 
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. WWF and Greenpeace are like, total legends when it comes to protecting our planet 
. Let's hope this push for Amazon soy safeguards leads to real change 
!
conservation groups are right that there's a free-for-all going on out there, and it's gonna take more than just a letter from some supermarkets to make a difference. lets hope these big traders actually follow through on their commitments