Santika, Truly ORCID: 0000-0002-3125-9467 , Nelson, Valerie ORCID: 0000-0003-1075-0238 , Flint, Michael, MacEwen, Melissa, Cerretelli, Stefania ORCID: 0000-0003-3652-7253 and Brack, Duncan (2023) Leverage points for tackling unsustainable global value chains: market-based measures versus transformative alternatives. Sustainability Science. ISSN 1862-4065 (Print), 1862-4057 (Online) (doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/s11625-023-01430-0)

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Abstract

Tropical forests are rapidly disappearing due to the expansion of cash crops to meet demands from distant markets. Pressing concerns on deforestation impacts resulting from the global trade of tropical commodities have led some high-income countries’ governments to consider diverse regulatory and trade levers to tackle the problem. These include proposals for new supply chain due diligence legislation concerning imports of forest-risk products and the inclusion of environmental measures in trade deals. To contribute to this debate, we conducted a comprehensive analysis of existing data on global trade and consumption patterns of tropical commodities, attribution of commodity production to deforestation, trade agreements, and progress in the implementation of crop sustainability standards. We used global data on key tropical commodities of oil palm, cocoa, and coffee. Our study shows that high-income countries have the highest per capita consumption for the three commodities evaluated and that consumption rates have dramatically increased in the last two decades. We discuss a range of measures that can potentially be required to tackle deforestation in global supply chains, which are currently being considered by policymakers, before discussing the kinds of post-growth, convivial approaches that are often excluded by the framing. Given the inherent expansionary nature of global market dynamics, we show that market-based initiatives are inadequate to tackle continuing deforestation and socio-ecological degradation. More transformative solutions amplify commoning and post-growth approaches are required to lead to some uncoupling of trade and territorializing of economic activity to fit within planetary boundaries and allow for plural values.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	consumption; planetary boundaries; post-growth; telecoupling; trade policy; tropical deforestation
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HB Economic Theory H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor
Faculty / School / Research Centre / Research Group:	Faculty of Engineering & Science Faculty of Engineering & Science > Natural Resources Institute Faculty of Engineering & Science > Natural Resources Institute > Agriculture, Health & Environment Department Faculty of Engineering & Science > Natural Resources Institute > Ecosystem Services Research Group
Last Modified:	12 Dec 2023 09:54
URI:	http://gala.gre.ac.uk/id/eprint/44693

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