The sustainable production and development theme covers the economic sectors and activities that contribute to and drive deforestation and forest degradation, including agriculture, extractive industries, infrastructure, and other aspects of economic development.

This theme builds on previous NYDF Progress Assessment reports on Goal 2 (agricultural commodities), Goal 3 (extractive industries and infrastructure), and Goal 4 (sustainable livelihoods). Our assessment framework aligns with corporate targets to end deforestation from agricultural commodity production by 2025, a crucial milestone for limiting temperature rise to below 1.5°C.

Building blocks that are essential for sustainable production and development to align with forest goals 

Efforts to end deforestation from commodity production have achieved important but insufficient reductions. Commodity-driven deforestation was reduced by 6% in 2021 compared to the average of previous years (2018-20) and remains lower than the record highs seen in 2016-17. However, rates are still higher than in any previous year since 2000. Many countries have adopted ambitious sustainable development and reduced deforestation goals, but governments have yet to make bold sectoral reforms needed to meet those goals. Voluntary corporate action has not succeeded in removing deforestation from corporate supply chains: although many agricultural and mining companies have announced commitments, few have implemented deforestation reduction actions. The mining sector particularly lags behind.  

Where progress on forest goals has been made, the credit is shared between government mandates and effective enforcement, bold and collaborative company action, and innovative efforts led by civil society and grassroots initiatives.  

Commodity driven deforestation, in million hectares, and the pathway toward 2025