The EU’s commitment to introduce mandatory due diligence standards on companies importing products linked to environmental damage and human rights abuses deserves praise. It now must be followed through, argue Climate Focus lead legal consultant Darragh Conway with Alison Hoare in this op-ed in EURACTIV.

The EU has taken an important step toward becoming a global leader in halting the sacrifice of the world’s forests at the altar of short-term economic growth, the write. It must now move quickly to develop legislation that is both strong and dissuasive while also providing the support that businesses and partner countries need to play their part.

Alison Hoare is a senior research fellow at UK-based think-tank Chatham House.