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Global Witness calls for COP16 to transition the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework into concrete plans, specifically by protecting environmental defenders, regulating financial flows to end deforestation, and establishing strict global standards for responsible mining of energy transition minerals.

Global Witness calls on the US Congress and the Biden administration to prioritize global forest protection by passing a strengthened FOREST Act and regulating the financial sector. The author highlights that up to 40% of US GDP is linked to sectors with high climate-related forest and land use risks, and that $5 billion in raw commodities were imported from high-risk countries in 2020. The document advocates for a regulatory approach that covers both legal and illegal deforestation, includes Indigenous communities in negotiations, and addresses the failure of non-binding financial commitments, such as those within the Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero (GFANZ).

The Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) is an intergovernmental organization serving 19 member states in the Americas. It focuses on transdisciplinary research and the science-policy interface to address global change issues. Key initiatives include a program at the nexus of health, climate, and environment, a global funding call for Amazonia and tropical forests via the Belmont Forum, and the Science, Technology, and Policy (STeP) fellowship program for early career researchers.

The Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) is an intergovernmental organization serving 19 member states in the Americas. It focuses on transdisciplinary research and the science-policy interface to address global change. Key initiatives include the health-climate-environment nexus, Amazon and tropical forest research via the Belmont Forum, and the Science, Technology and Policy (STeP) fellows program.

The Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) is an intergovernmental organization serving 19 member states in the Americas. It focuses on transdisciplinary research and the science-policy interface to develop evidence-based solutions for global change. Key initiatives include the health-climate-environment nexus, the Belmont Forum's global funding call for the Amazon and tropical forests, and the Science, Technology and Policy (STeP) fellows program for early-career researchers.

The document examines the critical state of biodiversity in Latin America and the Caribbean, highlighting threats such as 'empty forest syndrome,' gold mining in the Amazon, and the impact of global commodity trade. It emphasizes the vital role of ecosystem services—such as water regulation in Andean páramos and soil health for agriculture—and argues for a shift from an extractivist logic to an inclusive conservation model that integrates indigenous knowledge and territorial rights. The text also explores the nexus between biodiversity and human health, the potential of a sustainable blue economy, and the risks associated with the 'green extractivism' of lithium mining for the energy transition.

The MAP-FIRE project focuses on the 'MAP region' (Madre de Dios in Peru, Acre in Brazil, and Pando in Bolivia) to address increasing vulnerability to droughts and wildfires. The project found that drought-induced fire emissions are often excluded from national carbon inventories and that gross emissions from wildfires can exceed 50% of primary forest deforestation during drought years. In Acre, Brazil, economic losses from forest fires between 2008 and 2012 were estimated at US$ 307.46 ± 85.41 million, representing 9.07 ± 2.46% of the state's GDP. To mitigate these risks, the project co-developed monitoring platforms for fire occurrence and air quality, which have since influenced the installation of air quality sensor networks across all Brazilian Amazonian states and informed a new project in the Pantanal region. The initiative also produced 10 technical reports and 34 collaborative events to integrate fire risk knowledge into school curricula and decision-making processes.

The MAP-FIRE project focuses on the 'MAP region' (Madre de Dios, Acre, and Pando) to address the increasing risk of extensive forest fires in the Amazon. The project has quantified the socio-environmental impacts of fire, developed near-real-time monitoring platforms for fire and air quality, and produced technical reports to assist decision-makers. Key findings highlight that drought-induced fire emissions are often omitted from national carbon inventories and that forest fires caused significant economic losses in Acre, Brazil, between 2008 and 2012.

The report identifies a significant gap between climate change and biodiversity policies in the Tropical Andes, noting that while legal frameworks exist, scientific research and institutional coordination remain fragmented. It highlights that high-altitude zones are the most vulnerable to climate change, affecting ecosystem services for lowland areas. The document details national strategies and projects in Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru, emphasizing the need for integrated monitoring networks, better flow of scientific data to decision-makers, and the development of multidisciplinary research to study the interaction between climate variability and species distribution.

The document identifies that health vulnerability in the Peruvian Amazon is multidimensional, driven by social, environmental, and institutional factors. It highlights that the climate crisis exacerbates existing risks, particularly for pregnant women, children, and the elderly, while structural failures in water, sanitation, and waste management are critical drivers of disease transmission. To address this, the project developed a Multidimensional Vulnerability Index (IVM) and territorial maps to inform intersectoral action plans and community-led prevention strategies, emphasizing the importance of youth participation and cross-border cooperation in border regions.

The document assesses the critical loss of biodiversity in Latin America and the Caribbean, highlighting the 'empty forest syndrome' and the desertification of the Amazon due to gold mining. It emphasizes the vital role of ecosystem services, such as the water-regulating capacity of Andean páramos and soil organic matter for sustainable agriculture. The text argues for 'inclusive conservation' that integrates indigenous territories and traditional knowledge, noting that indigenous lands often maintain higher biodiversity. It also discusses the 'blue economy' potential of the region's marine ecosystems and the risks of 'green extractivism,' specifically how lithium mining for the global energy transition threatens Andean water resources. Finally, it examines how international trade in commodities, such as soy and leather from the Gran Chaco, drives deforestation, and advocates for the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and the Escazú Agreement to ensure environmental justice and peace.

The author argues that international trade policy is shifting from a focus on economic efficiency and liberalization toward a 'multifunctional' approach. This new paradigm integrates goals such as climate action, labor rights, and national security as primary objectives rather than externalities. The transition faces national challenges, including the need to balance incommensurable goals and break institutional silos, and international challenges, such as friction with existing WTO rules and a growing divide between developed and developing nations' priorities.

The author argues that a paradigm shift is occurring in international trade, moving away from the 'establishment' view of globalization as a tool for economic efficiency toward a 'multi-purpose trade policy.' This new approach integrates objectives like sustainability, resilience, and security directly into trade goals. However, this shift creates significant national challenges—including the difficulty of balancing incommensurable goals and overcoming institutional silos—and international tensions, as states increasingly prioritize unilateral action over World Trade Organization (WTO) norms. While developed nations like the US and EU lead this trend, developing nations remain skeptical of certain goals, such as labor standards, while viewing others, like food security, as long-standing priorities.

The report by Mighty Earth characterizes Cargill as a major contributor to global deforestation, climate change, and human rights violations. It details the company's role in destroying the Amazon and Gran Chaco ecosystems for soy production, the use of child labor in West African cocoa production, and significant pollution of air and water in the United States. The document highlights a pattern of 'misleading' corporate pledges by CEO David MacLennan, noting that the company often resists expanding sustainability protections to new regions like the Brazilian Cerrado. It specifically criticizes major clients such as Ahold Delhaize, McDonald's, and Sysco for continuing to support Cargill despite their own public sustainability commitments.

The report by Mighty Earth characterizes Cargill as a major contributor to global environmental and human rights crises. It details the company's role in the deforestation of the Amazon, Cerrado, and Gran Chaco for soy production, as well as illegal deforestation in West African national parks for cocoa. The document alleges systemic failures in Cargill's sustainability promises, citing continued use of child slave labor in cocoa harvests and severe water and air pollution in the United States. It concludes that corporate customers like McDonald's and Ahold Delhaize are complicit by continuing to source from Cargill despite the company's documented record of deception and ecological damage.

The report by Mighty Earth alleges that Carrefour, as a leader in Brazilian retail, is linked to significant deforestation in the Amazon and Cerrado. It highlights a heavy reliance on JBS for beef and Bunge for soy, both of which are identified as major drivers of deforestation. The report estimates Carrefour's potential responsibility for Amazon deforestation at 4.4% and documents specific links to illegal land clearing in indigenous territories.

The scoring methodology is divided into three categories totaling 100 points: Policy Commitment (38 points), Monitoring & Verification of Compliance (44 points), and Public Disclosure & Reporting (18 points). It assesses whether companies have specific policies to eliminate deforestation and conversion in beef production, implement rigorous supplier monitoring systems, and provide transparent public reporting on supply chain traceability and risk assessments. The framework heavily references the Accountability Framework Initiative's operational guidance for defining environmental protections, human rights, and monitoring standards.

Mighty Earth's Deforestation Tracker identifies significant land clearance linked to major Brazilian agribusiness traders, specifically highlighting JBS, Cargill, and Bunge as poor performers. The report details how these companies supply supermarkets in the US, UK, Germany, France, and the Netherlands, and urges retailers to implement strict no-deforestation policies and shift sourcing to better-performing traders.

The report reveals that BNP Paribas, Crédit Agricole, Société Générale, and BPCE provided $10 billion in financing to Bunge and Cargill between January 2024 and September 2025, despite the traders' exposure to deforestation risks in Brazil. Analysis shows that Bunge and Cargill are linked to 11,800 hectares of deforestation in the Amazon and 91,000 hectares in the Cerrado during this period. The document criticizes the deforestation policies of the involved banks as insufficient, lacking clear objectives, and opaque in their implementation.

The report evaluates Brazil's 'Energy Safety Nets,' focusing on electricity access and clean cooking. It finds that while Luz para Todos has nearly achieved universal electricity access and Tarifa Social supports basic consumption for the poorest, Bolsa Família is less effective for clean cooking due to non-earmarked funds and rising LPG costs. The study recommends earmarked LPG vouchers, expanded eligibility for electricity subsidies, and a gender-sensitive approach to energy policy.