We raised the continued delay in the UK government taking action to curb the impact of UK consumption on deforestation with the Office for Environmental Protection (OEP). In the exchange of letters, the OEP says it will continue to urge government to take the necessary steps to operationalise the forest risk commodities regime as soon as possible.

It notes that the government’s new Environmental Improvement Plan does not repeat the express commitment in the previous plan to operationalise the forest risk commodities regime through secondary legislation.

In its 2024/2025 progress report, the OEP highlights the Environmental Audit Committee’s recommendations to government in its report ‘The UK’s contribution to tackling global deforestation’. It notes that the committee has also urged the government publish its proposed suite of regulations as a matter of urgency.

For more information, contact:
Ruth Chambers, senior fellow