13 Amendments of Maria HEUBUCH related to 2016/2222(INI)
Amendment 1 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph -1 (new)
Paragraph -1 (new)
-1. Recalls that sustainable agriculture, food security and sustainable forest management are core objectives of the SDGs; notes with concern that palm oil is an important driver of deforestation, particularly in Malaysia, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Liberia, Cameroon, Republic of Congo, Columbia and Peru; recalls that forests are essential for climate-change adaptation and mitigation;
Amendment 2 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph -1 a (new)
Paragraph -1 a (new)
-1 a. Highlights the low deforestation rates of indigenous lands with secured customary systems of tenure and resource management, which has high potential for cost-effective reduction of emissions and securing global ecosystem services; calls for utilization of international climate and development funds to secure indigenous and community lands and to support indigenous peoples and communities who invest in protecting their lands.
Amendment 3 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph -1 b (new)
Paragraph -1 b (new)
-1 b. Recalls that poor rural women are especially dependent on forest resources for their subsistence; stresses the necessity to mainstream gender in national forest policies and institutions, so as to promote i.e. the equal access of women to the ownership of land and other resources;
Amendment 4 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Notes with concern that agriculture remains the most significant driver of global deforestation and that around half of all tropical deforestation since 2000 has been due to illegal conversion of forests for commercial agriculture which may also entail a conflict risk; Calls for improved coordination of forest, agriculture, land use and rural development policies with a view to achieving the sustainable development goals (SDGs) and the climate change commitments;
Amendment 7 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1 a. Notes with concern that the global rush for land is driven by increasing global demand for biofuel and raw materials, speculation on land and agricultural commodities; underlines the ECA's Special Report N° 18/2016 conclusion that the EU certification system for the sustainability of biofuels is not fully reliable; calls on the EU Institutions to include as part of the reform of the Renewable Energy Directive specific verification procedures regarding land tenure conflicts, forced/child labour, poor working conditions for farmers and dangers to health and safety in in its voluntary scheme; likewise, calls on the EU to take into account the impact of ILUC and to include social responsibility requirements in the reform of the RED;
Amendment 11 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 b (new)
Paragraph 1 b (new)
1 b. Calls on the EU to establish a binding regulatory framework to ensure that all agricultural commodity importers' supply chains are traceable to the origin of the raw material;
Amendment 18 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Recalls that the EU is a major importer of products resulting from illegal deforestation; calls for the immediate termination of EU subsidies for biofuels produced from food crops and for a phase- out of such fuels; stresses the inadequacy of voluntary certification schemes, such as the Round Table on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), in addressing land grabs and human rights violations; calls for binding regulations on agricultural commodity importers’ supply chainon the private sector and other stakeholders to upgrade certification standards to prevent land grabbing and minimise the risks of land conflict and rights abuses as well as to strengthen complaint procedures in certification systems;
Amendment 25 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2 a. Embraces the objective set in the Amsterdam Declaration of 2015 in Support of a Fully Sustainable Palm Oil Supply Chain by 2020; and encourages the EU to engage major players such as India and China on strengthening responsible and sustainable production in the palm oil supply chain;
Amendment 32 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Calls on the Commission to put in place mechanisms to address the conversion of forests for commercial agriculture within the FLEGT Action Plan, Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) framework; calls for increased EU financial and technical assistance to producer countries and their local authorities with a view to combating corruption and improving governance; calls on the Commission to urgently put forward an EU action plan on deforestation and forest degradation;
Amendment 50 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Is alarmed by the impacts of palm oil production on the human rights of indigenous peoples and small farmers, including their customary systems of tenure and resource management; calls on governments of palm-oil-producing countries to commit to and implement the ILO core labour standards and Decent Work agenda; calls for the elimination of all forms of forced or compulsory labor, including child labour; improvement of the position of migrant workers; freedom of association; and the establishment of a legitimate, accessible, and transparent grievance mechanism, consistent with international best practices;
Amendment 63 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Is concerned that many land deals breach the principle of local communities’' free, prior and informed consent; calls for the EU and its Member States to ensure that EU-based investors adhere fully to international standards on responsible investment in agriculture, anotably the FAO-OECD Guidance for Responsible Agricultural Supply Chains; the FAO voluntary guidelines on land tenure; the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and the OECD's Guidelines on Multinational Enterprises; underlines the need to take steps to ensure access to remedy for victims of corporate abuses.
Amendment 66 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6 a. Insists on development financial institutions ensuring that their social and environmental safeguard policies are binding, fully aligned with international human rights law; calls for increased transparency to the funding of private financial institutions and public financial bodies;
Amendment 70 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 b (new)
Paragraph 6 b (new)
6 b. Calls on the Commission to put forward an EU action plan on responsible business conduct;