The role of zero-deforestation commitments in protecting and enhancing rural livelihoods

Abstract

Many zero-deforestation commitments pledge to enhance social sustainability in commodity supply chains. We review zero-deforestation commitments, and the peer-reviewed and gray literature, to characterize the role of these commitments in protecting and enhancing the well-being of indigenous and traditional forest-dependent people, laborers, and smallholders. First, we find that social criteria in zero-deforestation commitments pertain to labor standards, land rights, and community consultation. Second, we find that few publications examine the impacts of zero-deforestation commitments on social outcomes. Of those few, most are gray literature reports that rely on field-intensive data-collection to evaluate compliance with social criteria. Third, we highlight opportunities for linking zero-deforestation commitments to certification programs, and for developing jurisdictional approaches to sustainable sourcing. Finally, we call for more research to better-understand the social dimensions of zero-deforestation commitments.