ESFPA E-News

Governor Hochul May Gut Major Deforestation Bill

The Tropical Deforestation-Free Procurement Act hopes to curtail deforestation, setting a precedent of being the first bill in the United States to regulate local companies’ supply chains and require they’re free of products sourced through deforestation. Under the legislation, corporations that sell to the government would have to trace the origin of their products and ensure that they are not derived from areas that have been deforested or degraded since Jan. 1, 2023. However, Gov. Hochul, who has until the end of the year to sign it into law, is touting a revised version that supporters say would render it ineffective.

If Hochul’s newly version of the bill gets signed into law, supporters say the state’s ability to force companies to trace the origin of their commodities may be compromised. Hochul’s version would also remove language in the legislation that sought to close loopholes in a 1995 state ban on the use of tropical hardwoods. 

ESFPA has been against this legislation, arguing in our March opposition memo that the bill’s requirements “may involve considerable changes for the industry, with increased transaction costs from the bottom to the top of the supply chain.”

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COP28 and Climate Headlines

The 28th "Conference of the Parties" (COP28) is being held this year in Dubai from November 30th to December 12th, 2023.During this annual United Nations climate meeting, governments will discuss how to limit and prepare for future climate change. Some key discussion topics of this year's summit will include limiting long-term global temperature rises to 1.5C., fast-tracking the move to clean energy sources, and delivering money for climate action from richer to poorer countries.

Due to the importance of COP28, many articles about climate change are making headlines this week. This includes an article from the Guardian called the climate crisis explained in 10 charts. The article outlines the data from the seemingly inexorable increase in atmospheric CO2 to the rapid growth in green energy.

Click the link below to read the full article and view all 10 climate data charts:

Maximizing Forest Carbon Storage

Researchers modeled how forest management activities and harvested wood can increase carbon storage and uptake in Maryland and Pennsylvania. They considered carbon dynamics in forests under various management regimes, and also looked at the role of timber and wood products in storing carbon.

Results indicated that active management and the use of forest products could increase carbon storage by more than 25% by 2030. Key management activities included maintaining or expanding forests, sustainable harvest levels, tree planting, and preparing for future climate impacts. 

Click the link below to read the full research article:

 How to Choose the Most Sustainable Christmas Tree

Every year, about three-quarters of U.S. households typically have some kind of Christmas tree. Although there has been much debate about whether real or artificial trees are more sustainable, the real question is: how do I find the most sustainable tree of the kind I want to get? 

A forestry professor who works on issues of sustainability has broken down the advantages and disadvantages to both cut trees and artificial trees to provide tips to consider for each. Here is a summary of these tips:

For a live tree: 

• Use a locally grown tree.
• Properly dispose of the tree once finished with it. 

For an artificial tree:

• Use a locally manufactured tree.
• Reuse the tree yearly.
• Donate, resell, or repurpose once finished with it.

For both:

• Use LED lights.

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