What role can the UK financial sector play in ending deforestation?
The financial sector’s role in deforestation, and the UK’s contribution to global cooperation in limiting deforestation, will be under the spotlight as the Environmental Audit Committee continues gathering evidence for its Sustainable timber and deforestation inquiry.
Meeting details
In its final evidence session with sector stakeholders, EAC will be examining how the financial sector can work with the UK Government to mitigate any risk of its lending and investment activities contributing to deforestation. MPs will be quizzing The Tropical Forest Alliance, Global Canopy and the Head of Sustainable Investment at Schroders, which was ranked as the top financial institution in this year’s Global Canopy Forest 500 report.
A second panel on Wednesday will examine the UK’s contribution to global cooperation to tackle deforestation. MPs will look to discuss the effectiveness of global agreements and trade-based mechanisms to end deforestation and what can be learnt from timber due diligence systems that could also cover agricultural commodities. Witnesses include a forest governance academic, the Forest Peoples Programme and an associate of Chatham House.
Oral evidence in the inquiry will conclude next month with evidence from Ministers: details of this session will be announced in due course.