Latest news with #deforestation
Yahoo
a day ago
- General
- Yahoo
Officials bust smugglers driving truck jam-packed with illegal cargo — here's what they found inside
A state truck in Santiago de Cuba was stopped and seized by officials, who found it jam-packed with precious and protected tree species. According to CiberCuba, the truck had 4,777 cubic meters of wood on board, which included 89 blocks of cedar and 24 blocks of mahogany. Agents of the Revolutionary National Police (PNR), working with other entities of the Ministry of the Interior, stopped the truck as part of an ongoing effort to end illegal trafficking. In Cuba, cedar and mahogany are protected species. They have been overlogged historically, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists mahogany as endangered and cedar as vulnerable. For mahogany, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) reported, "Populations of big-leaf mahogany have declined by over 70% in Central America since 1950. The species is already reported to be commercially extinct in El Salvador, Costa Rica and parts of South America." The commercialization and illegal trafficking of precious or protected species is illegal in Cuba, and actions like this one show a lack of awareness, or a lack of care, for the trees and the planet. Luckily, the officials caught this instance, though locals are concerned that repercussions for those responsible will not be effective in stopping the destruction and sale of these protected species. It was also unclear whether there were other ongoing investigations into further corruption related to this incident, CiberCuba wrote. Protected species like these trees have the protections they do to prevent extinction. By protecting native species and keeping them from extinction, we can keep our environment more biodiverse and healthy. Huge trees like these are especially important, as they help remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, offsetting the effects of pollution and slowing global warming. By supporting environmental organizations focused on helping protected or endangered species, you can do your part in keeping these vital parts of our world safe. Do you think America has a plastic waste problem? Definitely Only in some areas Not really I'm not sure Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Reuters
4 days ago
- Business
- Reuters
Coffee maker Lavazza calls for further delay to EU deforestation law
LONDON, July 9 (Reuters) - Coffee maker Lavazza on Wednesday called for the European Union's deforestation law to be delayed by a further year, saying implementation would hurt producers in Africa and Central America and drive up prices. The proposed law, which aims to end the estimated 10% of global deforestation fuelled by EU consumption, requires companies importing goods like soy, beef, cocoa, coffee, and related products to prove their supply chains do not contribute to the destruction of the world's forests, or face hefty fines. "We call that the legislation, especially for coffee, be postponed for another year," Lavazza chairman Giuseppe Lavazza told reporters at an event in London. He said the cocoa industry was better prepared than coffee as it had fewer producing countries. The proposed law could potentially be more damaging to the coffee market than tariffs, the chairman said, adding it would be very difficult for countries like Ethiopia to comply with the new rules due to a lack of clarity around land ownership. Lavazza was echoing a similar call this month from Mondelez (MDLZ.O), opens new tab, parent of chocolate maker Cadbury. However, such views clash with companies including Nestle (NESN.S), opens new tab, the world's largest packaged food maker, which wrote to the European Commission last week in support of the deforestation rules. A delay would damage the credibility of the EU, their letter, seen by Reuters, said. "Any postponement or weakening would create a dangerous regulatory vacuum, represent a step backward politically and economically, and penalize the very companies that have long invested in responsible sourcing," said the letter, signed by companies including Nestle, Ferrero and Danone ( opens new tab. Environmental groups also oppose efforts to postpone or weaken the legislation. "Re-opening the law now would be catastrophic for the EU's reputation as a business partner and would be a disastrous signal in the run up to COP30 in Brazil,' Hannah Mowat, campaigns coordinator at Fern, said. The EU has already delayed the law's launch by a year to December 2025, following complaints from trading partners including Brazil and the U.S., and cut back reporting rules after industry criticism.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
EU green rules will drive up price of coffee, warns Lavazza
European environmental rules will drive up coffee prices, the chairman of Lavazza has warned. Giuseppe Lavazza has called on Brussels to delay the implementation of incoming deforestation laws for another year, as he warned they could unleash a new supply crunch across the Continent and drive up prices. That will have more of an impact on coffee prices than the 10pc tariffs America is likely to impose on Europe, he added. He criticised the impending rollout of the so-called EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) in December, which will require companies importing goods such as beef, cocoa and coffee to prove their supply chains do not contribute to the destruction of the world's forests. Mr Lavazza said he feared that the looming legislation could prevent his company from trading with suppliers in key coffee markets such as Ethiopia and Indonesia. He said there was an uncertainty around ownership of land in these countries, which was a major obstacle to enabling Lavazza to trace the full supply chains. He said: 'For example, I don't know how Ethiopia can comply with such regulation. And Ethiopia is such an important country for coffee supplies. Indonesia is another country that could disappear from the radar.' Mr Lavazza told an event in London: 'Mr Trump is talking about tariffs, but he keeps changing his mind. They are not good, but we can manage them. 'The EUDR is very tough because it puts some very strong limits on European roasters to import good coffee. 'We have many, many concerns that the regulation will introduce a lot of distortion into the market. This is something we are hoping to avoid because otherwise, coffee will cost a whole lot more in Europe.' Asked if it will have more of an impact than tariffs, he said: 'Yes, absolutely. Compared to tariffs of 10pc, the regulation will have a huge impact. Especially because the fine you pay if you make an infraction is disproportionate. 'It can be up to 4pc of revenues, it's nonsense. The risk of a fine is enormous. 'But in the UK, you won't have that problem because you don't have EUDR. You are lucky. We are calling for that regulation to be postponed for another year.' It comes after coffee prices hit a record high of $4.01 (£2.96) per pound in April, which Mr Lavazza blamed on hedge funds speculating in the market. They have since fallen to $2.87. His comments echo similar calls made by Cadbury owner Mondelez earlier this week, which also urged Brussels to delay the legislation. Coffee prices jumped again on Thursday after Mr Trump threatened 50pc tariffs on Brazil, the world's biggest producer. Separately, Mr Lavazza also unveiled plans to accelerate the expansion of its US manufacturing plant to reduce the impact of export tariffs. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data
Telegraph
4 days ago
- Business
- Telegraph
EU green rules will drive up price of coffee, warns Lavazza
European environmental rules will drive up coffee prices, the chairman of Lavazza has warned. Giuseppe Lavazza has called on Brussels to delay the implementation of incoming deforestation laws for another year, as he warned they could unleash a new supply crunch across the Continent and drive up prices. That will have more of an impact on coffee prices than the 10pc tariffs America is likely to impose on Europe, he added. He criticised the impending rollout of the so-called EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) in December, which will require companies importing goods such as beef, cocoa and coffee to prove their supply chains do not contribute to the destruction of the world's forests. Mr Lavazza said he feared that the looming legislation could prevent his company from trading with suppliers in key coffee markets such as Ethiopia and Indonesia. He said there was an uncertainty around ownership of land in these countries, which was a major obstacle to enabling Lavazza to trace the full supply chains. He said: 'For example, I don't know how Ethiopia can comply with such regulation. And Ethiopia is such an important country for coffee supplies. Indonesia is another country that could disappear from the radar.' Mr Lavazza told an event in London: 'Mr Trump is talking about tariffs, but he keeps changing his mind. They are not good, but we can manage them. 'The EUDR is very tough because it puts some very strong limits on European roasters to import good coffee. 'We have many, many concerns that the regulation will introduce a lot of distortion into the market. This is something we are hoping to avoid because otherwise, coffee will cost a whole lot more in Europe.' Asked if it will have more of an impact than tariffs, he said: 'Yes, absolutely. Compared to tariffs of 10pc, the regulation will have a huge impact. Especially because the fine you pay if you make an infraction is disproportionate. 'It can be up to 4pc of revenues, it's nonsense. The risk of a fine is enormous. 'But in the UK, you won't have that problem because you don't have EUDR. You are lucky. We are calling for that regulation to be postponed for another year.' It comes after coffee prices hit a record high of $4.01 (£2.96) per pound in April, which Mr Lavazza blamed on hedge funds speculating in the market. They have since fallen to $2.87. His comments echo similar calls made by Cadbury owner Mondelez earlier this week, which also urged Brussels to delay the legislation. Coffee prices jumped again on Thursday after Mr Trump threatened 50pc tariffs on Brazil, the world's biggest producer. Separately, Mr Lavazza also unveiled plans to accelerate the expansion of its US manufacturing plant to reduce the impact of export tariffs.
Zawya
6 days ago
- General
- Zawya
Scaling-Up Resilience in Africa's Great Green Wall (SURAGGWA) Signing: Senegal and Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Unite to Green the Sahel
On July 4th, 2025, the Government of Senegal and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) signed a major partnership agreement to implement the SURAGGWA project (Scaling-Up Resilience in Africa's Great Green Wall), an ambitious programme aimed at strengthening climate resilience in the Sahel region. The signing ceremony took place at the headquarters of the Ministry of Environment and Ecological Transition, in the presence of Professor Daouda Ngom, Minister of Environment, and Ms. Bintia Stephen-Tchicaya, Acting Subregional Coordinator of FAO for West Africa. A Large-Scale Project in Response to an Ecological Emergency Between 2005 and 2023, Senegal lost nearly 340,000 hectares of forest - an average of 17,000 hectares per year - due to agricultural expansion, bushfires, illegal logging, and overgrazing. This massive deforestation has reduced the carbon absorption capacity of Senegalese forests by nearly 46%, undermining efforts to combat climate change. In this alarming context, the SURAGGWA project takes on its full significance. With a budget of USD 222 million, including USD 150 million from the Green Climate Fund (GCF), the project aims to restore 1.4 million hectares of degraded land, reduce emissions by 65 million tons of CO₂, and sustainably improve the living conditions of 1.9 million people, especially women and youth. Messages of Hope and Responsibility In his address, Minister, Professor Daouda Ngom stated: 'For Senegal, the project plans to restore just over 80,000 hectares of degraded land, which will directly and indirectly benefit thousands of citizens. It will also help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, develop value chains for non-timber forest products, and strengthen the institutional capacities of the Senegalese Agency for Reforestation and the Great Green Wall (ASERGMV), to ensure the sustainability of the actions undertaken.' Ms. Bintia Stephen-Tchicaya emphasized: 'SURAGGWA is a deeply inclusive project that will build on the commitment of over 15,000 community groups, with at least 30% female participation. It mobilizes governments, civil society, the private sector, and regional institutions in a spirit of synergy and cooperation.' Regional Mobilization to Address a Shared Challenge The SURAGGWA project represents a collective response to desertification and climate instability affecting the Sahel region. Eight countries - Burkina Faso, Chad, Djibouti, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria and Senegal - are joining forces to restore land, revitalize local economies, and strengthen social cohesion. Led by the African Union under the Great Green Wall Initiative, SURAGGWA stands as a model of regional and multilateral cooperation, built on three pillars: ecological restoration, sustainable economic development, and environmental governance. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO): Regional Office for Africa.
