Barry speaks in Westminster Hall debate on deforestation in the Amazon

Barry joined colleagues from across the House in a recent Westminster Hall debate on the crucial issue of deforestation in the Amazon rainforest. 2020 saw Amazon deforestation increase by 13% and the number of wildfires hit a 13-year high. Barry’s intervention focused on the drivers of this deforestation - namely unsustainable consumption of beef and the financing of beef companies linked to illegal deforestation from UK financial institutions. Barry spoke out against the £500 million financing by UK financial companies to three of the world’s largest beef companies linked to illegal deforestation in the Amazon. Barry spoke in favour of plans in the Environment Bill for a due diligence system but stressed these needed to apply to all companies, including financial institutions. He also highlighted the importance of due diligence obligations for forest-risk commodities extending to all deforestation, not just that which is ‘illegally’ defined. This is because Bolsanaro’s disastrous legislative reforms attempt to legalise much of the deforestation and appropriation of indigenous land in the Amazon.