As a constituent and supporter of the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), I’m writing to urge you to cosponsor the ​​Fostering Overseas Rule of Law and Environmentally Sound Trade (FOREST) Act of 2023 (S. 3371/ H.R. 6515) sponsored by Sens. Schatz and Braun and Reps. Blumenauer and Fitzpatrick. In addressing illegal deforestation driven by commodities such as palm oil, soybeans, cocoa, cattle, and rubber, the FOREST Act would tackle a significant driver of emissions from deforestation and biodiversity loss, curb the spillover of pathogens from wildlife to people that cause pandemics, and safeguard the ecological integrity of the world’s remaining forests. This legislation is an important contribution towards global action on meeting the goals of the Glasgow Leaders’ Declaration on Forests and Land Use, which commits to halt and reverse forest loss and land degradation by 2030.

The expansion of commercial agriculture is the primary driver of deforestation across the tropics. Emissions from illegal forest clearance conducted in violation of national laws and regulations accounted for at least 42% of all emissions from tropical deforestation in 2019. This amounts to at least 2.7 gigatons of carbon dioxide equivalent per year, more emissions than any country except the United States and China. In 2019, more than 30 percent of agricultural commodities linked to deforestation were exported, with widely-traded commodities carrying significant risks of illegal conversion practices.

At the same time, we need forests more than ever: as an essential natural climate solution they could provide over 20 percent of the cost-effective climate mitigation needed before 2030 to keep global temperature rise below 2°C. Forests also serve as strongholds for two-thirds of all land-based plants and animals, provide vital water supplies and erosion control, and support the livelihoods of some 1.6 billion people, including Indigenous Peoples and local communities. Keeping forests standing and healthy also reduces the risk of zoonotic disease spillover events such as those related to Ebola and coronaviruses.

Furthermore, it is important to recognize countries that have already taken significant action to reduce deforestation rates within their borders and are seeing sustained reductions in deforestation rates. As one of the world’s largest producers and consumers of agricultural commodities, the U.S. must demonstrate leadership and use its market leverage to bring all interested parties together to stop illegal deforestation, while strengthening rule of law and elevating responsible business practices. This must include working with smallholder farmers, Indigenous Peoples, and local communities and ensuring social and environmental safeguards in efforts to address deforestation. Through the FOREST Act, the U.S. is taking an important step by strengthening the regulatory frameworks and incentive systems that can drive systemic change in global commodity supply chains, by:

- Prohibiting the import of products produced on illegally deforested land;

- Implementing due diligence requirements for companies importing products into the U.S. to ensure those products are not being produced on illegally deforested land; and

- Supporting countries in enforcing their laws to prevent and address illegal deforestation.

I urge you to cosponsor the FOREST Act and to support this and other policies to protect intact ecosystems and wildlife.