£2.5 million awarded to Bath-led project tackling global deforestation
The research will look at palm oil, natural rubber, coffee and cocoa supply chains
A research project led by the University of Bath has been awarded £2.5 million to look at how to tackle deforestation linked to global supply chains.
The funding comes from the Forest Governance, Markets and Climate (FGMC) Programme, run by the UK's Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO).
The multi-year project will explore how policy can better support the sustainable production and trade of commodities that put forests at risk, such as palm oil, natural rubber, coffee and cocoa.
It is led by Professor Yixian Sun from the university's Department of Social and Policy Sciences.
He is also Director of the Bath Centre for Earth System Governance and a core member of the Bath Institute of Sustainability and Climate Change.
The project is called 'Understanding policy changes and applying anticipatory design to improve governance for sustainable forest-risk commodities', or AnDforFRC.
Why the research is needed
According to the university, producing certain products, such as beef, soy and palm oil, is a chief cause of forest clearance and degradation globally.
It says most deforestation is linked to agriculture, but policymakers often don't have the evidence or practical tools to address the problem effectively.
The project will bring together people from government, business and communities along global supply chains.
The aim is to find better ways to reduce deforestation and promote the sustainable production and consumption of these commodities.
A key part of the work is 'anticipatory design'.
The university describes this as an approach that helps people think ahead about future risks and work together through discussions between different groups to develop practical solutions.
Who is involved
The research will focus on key producer and consumer countries, including Indonesia, Vietnam and Cameroon.
It will also look at major markets such as China, the UK and the European Union.
The project brings together a consortium of universities and partners from across Europe, Asia, Africa and North America.
Partners include:
- Universitas Gadjah Mada in Indonesia
- The University of Victoria and the University of British Columbia in Canada
- The University of Freiburg in Germany
- The University of International Business and Economics in China
- The National University of Singapore
The team will study how policies and business decisions affect deforestation.
It will also bring governments, industry and civil society together to share ideas and find solutions.
What the project aims to achieve
The university says the project has been designed to work directly with policymakers and practitioners.
It will develop practical ideas and guidance to help move towards supply chains with zero deforestation.
The university says the work will also help improve transparency in global supply chains and support more inclusive decision-making, including greater involvement of underrepresented groups.
Reaction
Professor Sun said: "Deforestation is a global problem that no single country or sector can solve alone. By bringing together researchers, governments, businesses and communities across the globe, we can develop practical solutions that work for both producers and consumers, and help move global supply chains of forest-risk commodities towards zero deforestation and just transition. We're grateful to the FCDO's FGMC programme for their support."
Project partner Professor Li Li, of the University of International Business and Economics, said: "In today's global agricultural supply chains, consumer countries' demand for sustainable products is not always aligned with producers' needs and capacity. I'm excited to be part of this global consortium, led by the University of Bath, to identify the real needs of different stakeholders and develop win-win solutions for the production and consumption of forest-risk commodities."