Effective forest protection is needed at a global level

The European Parliament (EP) today held a plenary debate on reducing deforestation at a global level. The EP’s proposals would aim to ensure that products bought, used and consumed within the EU’s internal market do not contribute to global deforestation and forest degradation. Fidesz MEP Edina Tóth stressed that more ambitious environmental policies are expected from our global partners. “We need more dialogue, and our trading partners must stop polluting and supporting deforestation”, she said. 

In her plenary speech, the Fidesz MEP underlined that it is essential that the new EU deforestation regulation does not apply only to timber products, but also to goods produced on former forest land converted into agricultural land. “At the same time, it is unfortunate to include in the scope of the proposal products that would bring limited benefits in terms of curbing deforestation caused by EU consumption or would put us at a competitive disadvantage in addition to the bureaucratic burden”, she highlighted.

The Fidesz MEP regards it as an example to follow that Hungarian forests are growing thanks to sustainable forest management practices and the fact that Hungary has one of the largest afforestation and reforestation programmes in Europe. “In two years, the Hungarian government has supported the planting of 44,000 hectares of new forest”, she added.

It must also be made clear to our global partners, based on the examples of Member States, that without curbing deforestation, any EU effort to mitigate climate change will fall short. “Let’s go green together, let’s work together for a greener environment. Only together can we succeed”, she concluded.