Global Finance & Trade

Over half of tropical deforestation worldwide is caused by the production and trade of 4 commodities:

These commodities contribute 15% of total global greenhouse gas emissions – more than that emitted by all the cars, trucks and buses in the world combined.

Despite the establishment of international forest funds, important global policy gains, and zero deforestation pledges by governments and business, forest destruction is ongoing and even increasing.

Alongside major environmental and climate impacts, aggressive large-scale deforestation is causing multiple and severe human rights violations with devastating impacts on forest peoples.

 

Where we work

We work across the globe, but our recent focus has been on working with partners is:

What we do

We work in partnership with forest peoples to make public and private finance affecting forests fully accountable to the public and affected communities by:

  • assisting forest communities and local partners to monitor company and state compliance with commitments and international standards on human rights, land security and sustainable finance;
  • working with the global indigenous peoples' movement and social networks to bring rights holders, local partners and forest defenders into spaces where they can share their own visions and solutions and try to influence international and national policies on finance, trade, forest and climate issues, and sustainable development;
  • enabling communities to use the complaints and grievance procedures of development financial institutions, companies and industry bodies;
  • pushing for the adoption of better government and business policies, standards and due diligence to ensure respect for human rights, greater corporate and supply chain accountability, and the establishment of mechanisms and incentives to improve the implementation and enforcement of safeguards.

Voices from the ground

Focus on Borneo

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to an alarming spike in forest loss in Indonesia[1] and has been used to defend one of the biggest legislative changes in the country’s history – the Omnibus Bill. These sweeping de-regulation laws rollback on already weak protections for the archipelago’s indigenous population and leaves their lands increasingly vulnerable to appropriation. Read the full story here, and watch:

 

Funding for this work comes from various sources, including Norway's International Climate and Forests Initiative - you can view all articles from our Focus on the Frontline project here

 

Our Human Rights Work

Land, Forests & Territories | Law & Policy | Cultural Identity & Knowledge | Collaborations

All Global Finance & Trade resources