NGO Forest Coalition

APPG on Global Deforestation

Chocolate’s guilty secret

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1–2 minutes

Ending deforestation and human rights abuses in the cocoa sector in West Africa

The UK ranks in the top 5 globally for the most amount of chocolate consumed annually per capita – with each Brit reported to consume an average of 11 kg of chocolate a year.

Unfortunately, our enthusiasm for chocolate comes with hidden costs for people and planet. The cocoa industry supports millions of livelihoods, but is also a major driver of deforestation, loss of critical wildlife habitat, and human rights abuses around the   world – in West Africa as well as Latin America and Southeast Asia.

The APPG on Global Deforestation held a Panel discussion to consider the UK’s role in supporting efforts to forge an ethical, deforestation-free cocoa sector, hearing from the UK government, community representatives, civil society, and business leaders.

Panelists discussed the work underway, and what is needed to support smallholder cocoa farmers and transform cocoa supply chains, including the incentives and levers for action held by the government – such as the UK’s much anticipated due diligence legislation on forest risk commodities.

Taking part:

  • Moderator: APPG Global Deforestation co-chairs – Chris Grayling MP / Alex Sobel MP
  •  Lord Zac Goldsmith – former Minister for Overseas Territories, Commonwealth, Energy, Climate and Environment at the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) 
  • Neil Scotland – International Forest Unit, UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
  • Andrea Ledward – International Biodiversity and Climate Director, UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
  • (via pre-recorded video) Bakary Traoré – Executive Director, Initiatives for Community Development and Forest Conservation (IDEF) and Head of the Cocoa Transparency    working group, Cote d’Ivoire. 
  • Belinda Christine Borck – Impact Editor & Global Policy Coordinator – Tony’s Chocolonely 
  • Julia Christian – Cocoa and Forests Campaigner, Fern
  • (via pre-recorded video) Bismark Kpabity – Cocoa Producer, Kuapa Kokoo Farmers Union
  • Holly Cooper – Senior Consultant 3 Keel and Facilitator for the Retailer Cocoa Collaboration