COP30: Nature Protection and Supply Chains

Preservation of the Rainforest

The session focused on the importance of the rainforest in tackling global warming, with it being highlighted that illegal land clearances for cattle ranching are a major cause of its destruction. It was noted that tree felling for grazing pasture accounts for almost half of Brazil’s greenhouse gas emissions, reinforcing the urgency of stronger enforcement and international cooperation.

Discussions also reflected growing global scrutiny of supply chains, with measures such as the EU’s planned ban on imports of commodities linked to deforestation signaling a shift towards stricter compliance obligations for businesses operating in or sourcing from high-risk regions.

Forest Protection

The Building for Forests Acceleration Plan was launched as the largest collaboration between governments and industry to scale responsible timber use. 15 national governments and over 300 industry partners endorsed principles for forest-positive and low-carbon construction, aiming to engage 30 countries by 2028. This initiative signals a growing emphasis on sustainable materials and supply chain accountability.

Oceans

Preservation of the ocean and ocean-based climate solutions was at the forefront of today’s discussions, with the key objective being to protect and restore oceans and coastal ecosystems. The discussions highlighted how the ocean plays a vital role in sustaining all life on Earth by absorbing carbon, providing oxygen, and stabilizing global temperatures.

17 countries have joined the Blue NDC Challenge, which focuses on advancing the integration of national plans into concrete policies that can be measured to track progress.

In addition, the One Ocean Partnership was launched. This initiative will establish a global network of Regenerative Seascapes to accelerate ocean regeneration efforts by catalyzing at least $20 billion of investment in the Regenerative Blue Economy by 2030 and generating 20 million jobs.

SMEs

Small businesses are receiving increased support through the Climate-Proofing SMEs Campaign. The initiative now covers 49 programs, helping nearly 90 million SMEs. As part of the campaign, SMEs are supported on cutting supply chain emissions, and building resilience through specific supply chain programs.

Further reading on COP30

Stay up to date with our daily briefings on COP30 and view all of our content from last year’s COP here: COP30 | Business Topics | Eversheds Sutherland