Some hopeful news as The California Deforestation-Free Procurement Act, AB 416, passed the California Senate with an astounding vote of 30 to eight.
Shockingly, an area of rainforest which is the equivalent of 300 football fields is being destroyed every hour. Tropical rainforests cover less than 3% of the Earth’s surface, yet are home to more than half of our planet’s terrestrial animal species. We must do something to protect this critical habitat before it is too late.
Authored by California Assemblymember Ash Kalra, this important bill is currently on the desk of Governor Gavin Newsom awaiting his signature by October 10th.
“AB 416 would extend California’s environmental leadership to the protection of tropical forests and their biodiverse ecosystem, with many animal and plant species tragically on the verge of extinction due to rapid deforestation,” Assemblymember Kalra told WAN. “I am proud to author the Deforestation-Free Procurement Act and urge Governor Newsom to sign this first-in-the-nation effort to combat climate change and protect wildlife and their habitats.”
Once signed into law, California will become the first state in the country to require companies which sell forest-risk commodities to California to initiate state government procurement contracts that certify that products such as palm oil, soy, cattle, rubber, paper/pulp, and timber maintain a No Deforestation, No Peat, No Exploitation (NDPE) policy. They will also have to certify that their operations are not linked to tropical forest destruction and degradation or abuses of Indigenous peoples’ rights. If passed, the bill will make California an example for the world to follow.
“If we don’t fight for the protection of critical rainforest habitat, we will lose vital species such as Indonesian orangutans, Sumatran tigers, Javan rhinos, and up to 50 million different species of invertebrates that call our rainforests home,” stated Katie Cleary, Founder and President of Peace 4 Animals, whose non-profit is a co-sponsor of The California Deforestation-Free Procurement Act.
Having traveled through the rainforest in Central Costa Rica more than a decade ago, Cleary was shocked by the destruction of thousands of acres of rainforest for the production of palm oil, paper products, and timber. Determined to create change, in 2013, Cleary launched one of Peace 4 Animals’ first campaigns to encourage grocery stores to go Palm Oil free.
“Eight years later, we are still fighting and will continue to fight for the protection of our rainforests from deforestation after we witnessed first-hand the destruction of critical habitat in Borneo and Sumatra while filming our second documentary, Why On Earth,” continued Cleary. “Tragically, two-thirds of our Earth’s tropical rainforests have been destroyed or degraded. The California Deforestation-Free Procurement Act will help to aid in the protection of many species on the brink of extinction. We are very hopeful that this important bill will be signed into law by the Governor of California.”
The California Deforestation-Free Procurement Act is co-sponsored by Peace 4 Animals, along with Friends of the Earth, and Social Compassion in Legislation.
