UNE School of Law 2024 Kirby Seminar series
European Union Deforestation Regulation 2023 as an example of regulating the supply chains of companies to protect the enviro
Date: Thu Apr 18, 2024 12:00 pm
Location: EBL Lecture Theatre 3, Building W40, UNE Business School
In this Kirby Seminar, Adjunct Professor Anu Lahteenmaki-Uutela will discuss the following questions: European consumption is a major driver of global deforestation. To combat this problem, European Union Deforestation Regulation starts to apply in December 2024. Only deforestation-free soy, palm oil, beef, coffee, cocoa, timber, rubber, and derived products can be sold in Europe. Companies must follow each batch to the production site.
Lähteenmäki-Uutela will speak about how European companies and states are preparing for implementation. Lähteenmäki-Uutela will use coffee and cocoa sectors as examples to describe the challenges in building transparent supply chains with millions of smallholder farmers. She will also discuss the plans of the EU to expand the law to other ecosystem types and other economic sectors, potential impacts of EU laws on global trade flows, and the plans of other countries to enact similar legislation.
Anu Lahteenmaki is a Senior Research Scientist at the Finnish Environment and Adjunct Professor at the University of Turku, Finland. She previously taught business law and responsible business at Turku School of Economics. Her current research topics include biodiversity and trade, agriculture and water protection, sustainable aquaculture, just sustainability transition, and fundamental rights.
