2018 Goal 10 Assessment

The 2018 Goal 10 Assessment finds that slow improvements in forest governance and the failure to implement existing laws contribute to ongoing deforestation. It highlights a critical gap between legal protections on paper and the practical security of land rights for indigenous peoples and local communities, noting an increase in land conflicts and violence against activists since 2014. While some Asian countries are introducing market restrictions on illegal commodities to complement EU, US, and Australian frameworks, the report emphasizes that local innovations for community empowerment require greater scaling and financial support.

• Forest governance is insufficient to support deforestation reduction, particularly in poorer countries where institutions and the rule of law are weak. While many nations have laws regarding justice and information access, these are often poorly implemented or contain restrictions that maintain opacity in the forest sector.
• Illegality is a primary driver of deforestation, especially in the production of commodities for commercial agriculture. To combat this, several Asian countries have introduced measures to restrict market access for illegal timber and agricultural products, adding to existing frameworks in Australia, the United States, and the European Union, though enforcement concerns remain.
• Progress in recognizing and securing land rights for indigenous peoples and local communities is slow. This lack of security, combined with land demand, has increased land conflicts and the number of murders of community activists annually since 2014. Developed countries with high forest cover often provide less protection for these rights than developing countries.

APA

Forest Declaration Assessment (2018). 2018 Goal 10 Assessment. https://forestdeclaration.org/resources/2018-goal-10-assessment/

Chicago

Forest Declaration Assessment. 2018 Goal 10 Assessment. 2018. https://forestdeclaration.org/resources/2018-goal-10-assessment/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Forest Declaration Assessment |title=2018 Goal 10 Assessment |date=2018 |url=https://forestdeclaration.org/resources/2018-goal-10-assessment/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{forestdeclarationassessment20182018, author = {{Forest Declaration Assessment}}, title = {{2018 Goal 10 Assessment}}, institution = {Forest Declaration Assessment}, year = {2018}, url = {https://forestdeclaration.org/resources/2018-goal-10-assessment/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }