Insights Archives - Transparency Pathway

Palm oil worker loading a truck, Indonesia.

Exploring the emissions footprint of forest-risk commodities: a comparison of maritime transport and deforestation emissions associated with beef, cocoa, coffee, palm oil, and soy

International demand for agricultural commodities drives increasing emissions from deforestation and their transport to foreign markets. Using newly available data on maritime shipping, this insight explores the emissions footprint of five forest-risk commodities. Shipping emissions are a fraction of deforestation emissions, highlighting the importance of sustainable land-use practices.

Assessing the legality of deforestation using spatial data: An adaptable methodology to support policy makers and market operators

Legality assessments are not easy tasks to complete at scale. In response to this challenge, this insight presents an innovative and scalable approach to assess the legality of deforestation spatially, drawing on methodologies developed for pilot cases in Brazil and Indonesia.

Deforestation in Malaysia for oil palm plantations

Exploring commodity trader strategies in response to the proposed EU regulation on deforestation-free products

The EC proposal for a regulation on deforestation-free products can accelerate the transition towards sustainable, deforestation-free supply chains. However, how will commodity traders respond to it? EFI researchers have interviewed experts to understand how traders are likely to adapt their operations to the new regulation.

Supply chain transparency to increase government tax revenues

The complexity in the global trade of commodities presents a major obstacle to understanding how supply chains are linked to undesired outcomes, such as environmental degradation and poor working conditions. Greater transparency in the flow of commodities from production areas to traders, processors and finally to consumers, can help supply chain actors better understand and address the risks they are exposed to.

Which cocoa trading companies will have to demonstrate due diligence under the proposed EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive?

Earlier this year, the European Commission published its Sustainable Corporate Due Diligence legislative proposal. This Directive aims to “foster sustainable and responsible corporate behaviour and to anchor human rights and environmental considerations in companies’ operations and corporate governance”. It will set out requirements that large companies conduct due diligence to ensure that adverse impacts from their operations are addressed and minimised.

Strong market relationships between producer and consumer countries for sustainable supply chains

An analysis of subnational trade data for three major agricultural commodity markets reveals strong market connections between producing regions and the EU, despite the EU’s declining share of the export markets. Identifying these strong market relationships is key for promoting sustainable supply chains.