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The document introduces the 'Forest Footprint for Cities' methodology, which connects city-level consumption and international trade to global tropical and subtropical deforestation. By quantifying the hectares of forest lost and the resulting CO2 emissions embodied in urban products, the method aims to make the external impacts of city governance and sustainability planning visible, enabling cities to join national and private sector efforts in reducing deforestation.

The document argues that global environmental and economic stability depends on Northern industrialized nations reforming their internal policies. Key recommendations include updating national income accounting to include natural resource losses, reforming agricultural trade policies, discouraging pollution through economic policy, implementing fossil fuel taxes to drive energy efficiency, and providing debt relief and trade support to developing countries.

The document examines the intersection of climate policy and international trade, noting that non-uniform costs for greenhouse gas emissions can lead to 'emissions leakage' where industries relocate to countries with lower standards. It identifies energy-intensive sectors like steel, cement, and chemicals as most vulnerable and evaluates three policy responses: cost containment mechanisms, trade measures such as border price adjustments, and coordinated international actions.