Annual imported tropical deforestation by the EU 2005-2017, by commodity
Approximately 89,000 hectares of tropical rainforest was cleared each year between 2005 and 2017 for soy imported by the European Union. The majority of this deforestation occurred in Brazil. The commodity with the second largest imported deforestation footprint during this period was palm oil. Between 2015/2016 and 2020/2021, the global production of palm oil increased by nearly 30 percent to 75.45 million metric tons.
The European Union was responsible for 16 percent of tropical deforestation associated with the international trade of forest-risk commodities in 2017, surpassed only by China.
The European Union was responsible for 16 percent of tropical deforestation associated with the international trade of forest-risk commodities in 2017, surpassed only by China.
