2024: A decade of deforestation data

After 10 years and 1.3 million data points charting the companies and financial institutions most exposed to tropical deforestation, conversion of natural ecosystems and associated human rights abuses, ‘Forest 500: A Decade of Deforestation Data’ sets out 10 lessons for enabling and accelerating action.

Continual laggards

Almost a quarter (23%) of the companies and financial institutions that have been in the Forest 500 for the past 10 years are still yet to publish a single deforestation commitment or policy. After a decade of being in the spotlight and numerous engagement attempts from Forest 500, it is inexcusable that this group has failed to produce a single publicly available deforestation commitment. Ignorance has long ceased to be defence. The group that has been willfully ignoring the data includes Europe’s biggest shoe manufacturer, Deichmann Group, the second largest Chinese food and beverage company, Bright Food, and one of the world’s largest investment companies, Vanguard.

The leaders

Over the past decade, front-running companies have demonstrated beyond doubt that market-driven deforestation is a solvable crisis. These companies have made strong progress on deforestation, conversion and associated human rights abuses. This includes developing policies, implementing them and reporting on progress. Nestlé has the highest average score (81%) over the 10 years it has been assessed. No financial institutions have scored above 50% for every year they have been assessed.

The next five years

To ensure a livable future, the world cannot endure another decade of limited progress. This is the critical decade for humanity. To avoid catastrophic consequences, we need to see significant progress over the next five years. With just a handful of years remaining to meet the target of halting and reversing all deforestation by 2030, COP30 in 2025 will be a pivotal moment. Taking place in the closest major city to the Amazon Rainforest, at the halfway point towards these global goals, the eyes of the world will be focused on deforestation. Those who have not yet woken up to acting on this issue should finally pay attention.