Two years ago, the New York Declaration on Forests saw 180 countries, companies, authorities and organisations commit to halving deforestation by 2020. By 2030, the aim is to put an end to it, announced the South Pole Group in a statement. The South Pole Group and the not-for-profit British organisation CDP are now assessing corporate efforts towards this goal.
Curbing deforestation is a “core part” of achieving the two-degree limit on global warming, explained Christian Dannecker, Director Sustainable Supply Chains & Land Use at the South Pole Group. Limiting deforestation is also in line with the sustainable development goals set out by the United Nations, particularly with regards to preserving biodiversity. “Committing to it is already becoming the new ‘business as usual’,” commented Dannecker. He added that attaining it was still far away for many, however.
The scoring by the South Pole Group and CDP will be published in December. The findings will help companies and investors better evaluate business risks.