Briefing

Global supply-chain transparency: Harnessing the power of data for a deforestation-free economy

The EU REDD Facility hosted a side-event during the 22nd session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 22) to the UNFCCC in Marrakech, Morocco, in November 2016. The event brought together experts in environmental policy, data analysis and commodity supply chains to discuss how improving supplychain transparency could help achieve deforestation-free trade. It showed how supply-chain data analysis and visualisation platforms, such as the one launched by the Trase initiative, represent a step-change in efforts to make commodity supply chains more transparent.

Key messages

  • Major improvements in the transparency of commodity supply chains can catalyse improvements in commodity production, procurement and investment, and in planning national development strategies.
  • These new approaches to supply-chain transparency, such as Trase, have the potential to bring about transformative change, with an unprecedented wealth of information on the links in supply chains and how supply chains affect deforestation in producing jurisdictions.
  • These innovations and increased transparency can help develop smarter policies for forests and for commodity trading between producer and consumer countries.
  • Tools like Trase open supply chains to unprecedented, detailed scrutiny. The detail allows supply-chain actors to better identify and engage their partners.