“Zero deforestation” has a Couple of Problems....
Another conference took place in Washington DC this past weekend, this time with a focus on how businesses can help end deforestation. So far many large name companies have agreed to partake in the “zero deforestation” plan, such as Asia Pulp and Paper, Colgate-Palmolive, and Golden-Agri Resources, along with many others. Although these pledges that have been made are admirable, several groups have pointed out that “zero deforestation” might not be the ideal solution as one might think. The Rainforest Alliance has pointed out that although many companies have already agreed to work towards this goal, not all businesses will which means they will continue their deforestation for the gain of their own benefit, also by having such a large focus on deforestation, it takes away from other areas in the supply chain that need immediate attention as well. In addition to the questionable results that may come from “zero deforestation”, there has also been a lot of confusion in regards to the name itself. Overall though, many environmentalists see the shift that is happening in the world in regards to environmental matters and encourages that it stays present in discussions and continues in the path it is going.
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