Work Stream: “The EU Deforestation Regulation – from policy to impact”

Focali is currently developing several new work streams on various topics and research - policy - practice interactions to facilitate collaboration, exchange and outreach. This post is a presentation of the first work stream launched. More work streams on various topics are in the pipeline, stay tuned for more information and connect if you are interested to find out more.

In response to persistent social and environmental sustainability challenges linked to global production processes, the European Union (EU) and its member states have introduced a series of groundbreaking regulations in recent years. These regulations prohibit the import of products that contribute to human rights violations and environmental degradation. Key examples include the French Duty of Vigilance Law (2017), the German Supply Chain Act (2021), the EU Deforestation-Free Regulation (2022), and the EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (2024). These laws mark a significant shift from the soft, voluntary measures of prior decades to mandatory regulations.

This workstream aims to critically examine the broader implications of these regulatory developments for forest governance and livelihoods, with a specific focus on their role in advancing sustainable forest management practices, preventing deforestation, and enhancing transparency in the supply chains of forest-risk commodities. It will serve as a meeting point for Focali researchers interested in these issues, facilitating knowledge exchange and discussions on both policy development and research results, as well as providing a forum for collaborating on policy dialogues and outreach. By bringing together researchers, policymakers, and practitioners, the workstream will explore both the opportunities and challenges posed by these regulations. 

Focali organizes workstreams on various topics to provide a clearer overview of the expertise within the network. The researchers involved in this workstream and some of their projects related to the EU deforestation regulation are presented below. Their expertise spans the legislative developments, the effectiveness of due diligence regulations, and the local implications for land-use and livelihoods in different regions. 

Workstream leads: 

Martin Persson, Professor, Physical Resource Theory, Chalmers University of Technology.
Maria-Therese Gustafsson, Assistant Professor and Deputy Study Director in Political Science, Stockholm University.

Contact: For questions about this work stream please connect with the workstream leads: martin.persson@chalmers.se and maria-therese.gustafsson@statsvet.su.se or with the Focali Project Manager Maria Ölund maria.olund@gu.se supporting the work streams. 

Other Focali members in the workstream: 

Mairon G. Bastos Lima, Senior Research Fellow, SEI and Trase 

Johanna Coenen, Postdoc at Stockholm University 

Malaika Yanou, Postdoc, Physical Resource Theory, Chalmers University of Technology 

Torsten Krause, Senior Lecturer, Deputy Director, LUCSUS

Stay tuned for more information on the members related research projects, publications and activities led by this work stream.