Norway Becomes First Country To Commit To Zero Deforestation

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A huge victory for environmentalists today as Norway becomes the very first country in the world to commit to zero deforestation.

The Norwegian government  has made a pledge that their public procurement policy will now be deforestation free going forward, leading environmental campaigners across the world to rejoice.

This pledge came about after a group of MPs made recommendations to impose suitable regulations on the country’s supply chain, ensuring that Norway is not responsible for contributing towards the destruction of the rainforest.

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This cheering news comes in the wake of more worrying revelations that Europe’s contribution to deforestation could rise significantly by 2030, despite pledges to end current deforestation practices by the end of the decade.

According to Greenpeace Spokesman Sebastian Risso:

 Deforestation is a conveyor belt to devastating climate change and species loss that the world must stop, and fast.

With its Fairytale forests and dreamy natural landscapes, Norway has long championed the protection of the world’s forests, financing  global conservation projects and human rights initiatives for forest communities. However, international collaboration on a wider scale will be necessary in order to ensure the sustainable future of rainforests.

The Head of Policy and Campaign at Rainforest Foundation Norway, Nils Hermann Ranum, has made the following statement:

This is an important victory in the fight to protect the rainforest. Over the last few years, a number of companies have committed to cease the procurement of goods that can be linked to destruction of the rainforest.

Until now, this has not been matched by similar commitments from governments. Thus, it is highly positive that the Norwegian state is now following suit and making the same demands when it comes to public procurements.

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After what appears to be a massive breakthrough for environmentally responsible politics, will other countries now follow Norway’s stellar example?

Julia Banim

Jules studied English Literature with Creative Writing at Lancaster University before earning her masters in International Relations at Leiden University in The Netherlands (Hoi!). She then trained as a journalist through News Associates in Manchester. Jules has previously worked as a mental health blogger, copywriter and freelancer for various publications.