CEO Note: Stunning incompetence is the best-case scenario

The CEO of Mighty Earth criticizes the European Commission for delaying the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) by one year, suggesting the official reason of IT failures may mask political capitulation. The author notes that while the EUDR has already encouraged some companies like Nestle and Carrefour to implement traceability systems, the delay emboldens non-compliant companies and undermines those who have already prepared. The note also highlights a lack of philanthropic investment in the political defense of the law and mentions a $1 billion commitment from Brazil to the Tropical Forest Forever Facility.

• The European Commission intends to postpone the implementation of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) by one year, marking the second consecutive year of last-minute extensions for the law passed in 2023.
• The official justification for the EUDR delay is that computer systems were unable to handle the volume of due diligence forms, though the author suggests this may cover 'capitulation diplomacy'.
• The EUDR has already influenced corporate behavior prior to its implementation, leading companies such as Nestle, Ferraro, and Carrefour to adopt traceability systems and advocate for timely implementation.
• Philanthropic funding for the EUDR has focused primarily on technical issues rather than building the political support necessary to defend the law against attacks.
• Brazil has announced a $1 billion commitment to the Tropical Forest Forever Facility.

APA

Hurowitz, G. (2025). CEO Note: Stunning incompetence is the best-case scenario. Mighty Earth. https://mightyearth.org/article/ceo-note-stunning-incompetence-is-the-best-case-scenario/

Chicago

Hurowitz, Glenn. CEO Note: Stunning incompetence is the best-case scenario. Mighty Earth, 2025. https://mightyearth.org/article/ceo-note-stunning-incompetence-is-the-best-case-scenario/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Hurowitz |first1=Glenn |title=CEO Note: Stunning incompetence is the best-case scenario |publisher=Mighty Earth |date=29 September 2025 |url=https://mightyearth.org/article/ceo-note-stunning-incompetence-is-the-best-case-scenario/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{hurowitz2025ceo, author = {Hurowitz, Glenn}, title = {{CEO Note: Stunning incompetence is the best-case scenario}}, publisher = {Mighty Earth}, year = {2025}, month = sep, url = {https://mightyearth.org/article/ceo-note-stunning-incompetence-is-the-best-case-scenario/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }