7.4

For government

The retail industry requires government support to meet its net zero target in three areas:

1.   Strengthen zero deforestation requirements and commitments 

The Government should seek to ensure the UK has a leading role in tackling deforestation, by adopting the recommendations of the Global Resource Initiative Taskforce. The taskforce identified that the UK Government has a key role to play by “bringing the necessary financial, trade and regulatory levers to bear, to help catalyse and provide the right enabling environment for change”. The Government should also align deforestation definitions with the Accountability Framework Initiative, which includes both deforestation and land conversion – and include both legal and illegal deforestation within the scope of new due diligence requirements.

2.   Ensure climate mitigation is core to future agricultural policy

Climate mitigation and adaptation should be core to new Environmental Land Management schemes expected to replace funding under the EU Common Agricultural Policy in 2024.^[117]

3.   Include land conversion and carbon removals within reporting guidelines 

To raise awareness of the climate impacts of raw materials, the reporting of land use change emissions and carbon removals should be strengthened within corporate environmental reporting guidelines^[118] – for example, by including guidance and conversion factors for quantifying emissions and removals from these sources.

[117] ELMs Policy consultation (2020). Defra.
[118]Environmental reporting guidelines: including Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting requirements (2019). Defra & BEIS.