Ending Tropical Deforestation: The Elusive Impact of the Deforestation-Free Supply Chain Movement

Hundreds of companies with exposure to deforestation driven by palm oil, beef, soy, or wood production have committed to addressing deforestation. Many of these commitments have been made in the context of the Consumer Goods Forum Zero Net Deforestation Commitment, the Tropical Forest Alliance 2020 (TFA 2020), and the New York Declaration on Forests (NYDF), and stipulate 2020 as a target year for eliminating deforestation from supply chains of agricultural commodities. As the 2020 deadline approaches, it is timely to review the status of forest-related supply chain commitments and identify implementation barriers and systemic challenges to the effectiveness of company action. This brief summarizes progress made, identifies challenges and evidence gaps, and recommends additional actions for reducing commodity-driven deforestation.