Combatting illegal Amazon deforestation
Cattle farming continues to be the motor driving the logging. More than 90% of deforestation is illegal, and a majority of that land is used for grazing, according to the Brazilian conservation NGO Imazon. Following the path of the animals that are raised on this land is a massive challenge.
"If European consumers want to know where the leather comes from, they will face many difficulties," said Faggin. "This industry has a complex supply chain. It’s very difficult to follow the path of the product after the slaughterhouse."
Leather follows an obscure route
To understand the origins of the leather the manufacturers use, the study delved into complex network of international commerce between Brazil and major importers around the world. It mapped these relations using company documents, studies detailing environmental crimes committed by Brazilian cattle farms, and information on Panjiva, a global trade database.
After coming under fire for not doing enough to stop climate myths from spreading on its site, Facebook will now add info labels to climate change posts and direct users to a fact-checked website. But is it enough?