The Illinois Deforestation-Free Procurement Act SB2157/HB3197 has a strong chance of being included in the forthcoming omnibus procurement bill, and we could use your help urging your state elected official’s support for its inclusion and passage before the end of this legislative session on May 31, 2025.
This timely Act aligns with the state’s climate and conservation commitments by prohibiting procurement of products contributing to deforestation and forest degradation no matter where it occurs in the world. Compliant products already do exist, and the state should be stewarding taxpayer dollars toward these climate solutions and away from top climate change drivers.
Why is deforestation-free procurement important?
- Deforestation and forest degradation generates between 4.3 and 5.5 GtCO2eq annually. This is between 7% and 10% of all CO2 equivalent emissions from all sources globally. Indeed, emissions associated with deforestation and forest degradation contribute most of the 13% of total anthropogenic CO2 emissions attributed to agriculture.
- Studies show preventing deforestation is among the most cost-effective climate mitigation strategies with large global benefits. Preventing deforestation is also one of the few large mitigation options that does not risk trade-offs to solving other challenges; on the contrary, it provides halo effects like enhancing health, clean water, and sanitation.
- Most forest destruction is caused by a few high-risk commodities we can avoid. This Act will prohibit IL from procuring the 7 top forest-risk commodities – cattle products, palm oil, soy, cocoa, coffee, rubber and lumber/paper – if the product derives from a supplier contributing to deforestation, forest degradation, and interrelated human rights abuses.
Illinois could and should be the first US
state to pass a deforestation-free
procurement bill
The Illinois Act’s comprehensive measures – which protect forests globally – ensure it would be an effective, implementable means of fighting the climate and biodiversity crises, and a leading example of high but achievable standards for state deforestation-free procurement regulations.
Help Illinois become a global leader in protecting global forests and support the campaign today. Contact: deforestationfreeil@gmail.com
The Deforestation-Free IL Campaign is supported by
Illinois Environmental Council (IEC), NRDC, Friends of the Earth, National Wildlife Federation, Prairie Rivers Network, Sierra Club IL Chapter, Corporate Accountability Lab, 350 Chicago, Climate Reality Project – Chicago Metro Chapter, Environmental Paper Network, Mighty Earth, Greenpeace, Re:Wild, Climate Rights International, Alberta Wilderness Association, Nature Canada, Zero Waste British Columbia, Ontario Nature Wilderness Committee, HEAL Food Alliance, eco.logic, Environment Illinois, Go Green Vernon Hills, Illinois Food Justice Alliance
