28 Sep 2023 at 00:01
Of all EU countries, the Netherlands imports the most products with a risk of deforestation from countries outside the European Union. This concerns products such as soy, wood and palm oil, goods that will soon no longer be welcome in the EU.
The Netherlands imported the most products with a risk of deforestation from Brazil, according to figures from statistics agency CBS. In total, the goods purchased by the Netherlands from Brazil amounted to 3.2 billion euros.
The Netherlands imported most of its money in soy, palm oil, cocoa and products thereof. When it comes to wood (products) and beef, our country ranks second in the European Union.
Most imported goods are intended for the food industry. The majority of the imports are then re-exported by the Netherlands. In 2021, only 21 percent of processed products remained in the Netherlands. Wood, coffee and beef are products that more often stay in the Netherlands, while cocoa, palm oil and soy leave the country relatively often.
Mainly wood was brought in
In the past twenty years, the amount of wood imported by the Netherlands increased by 125 percent. In addition to Brazil, the United States and China are also important countries of origin. The Netherlands gets palm oil from Indonesia and Malaysia.
The Netherlands also imports products with a risk of deforestation from within the EU. This mainly concerns wood from Germany, Belgium and Sweden.
Forests, such as rainforest, are cut down for the production of agricultural products such as soy, cocoa, wood and rubber. This worsens the climate problem and is harmful to biodiversity.
That is why the European Council decided in May this year that the EU may no longer import goods that contribute to deforestation. Under the new rules, companies must be able to demonstrate that their products have not contributed to damage to forests worldwide. These rules have not yet come into effect.
Image: Corbis News
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DeforestationEconomics
2023-09-27 22:01:18
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