Australia wrongfully labelled ‘low risk’ for deforestation under EU system

The European Union has released its long-awaited benchmarking list as part of its landmark anti-deforestation law. Shockingly, Australia has been designated as ‘low risk’ for deforestation—a classification that grossly misrepresents the reality on the ground and could undercut the ability of the new EU law to help stop deforestation in global hotspots like Australia.

Under the EU’s new Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), countries are assessed and categorised as low, standard, or high risk for deforestation, which then determines the level of scrutiny applied to commodities entering the EU. Despite being one of the world’s most active deforestation fronts, Australia has been placed in the lowest risk tier. 

This ranking system, decried by civil society and experts as deeply flawed, fails to recognise other major global deforestation hotspots, including Brazil, Indonesia, and the Congo—none of which have been classified as high risk. The finalised benchmark comes after the EU faced sustained lobbying from countries, including Australia, and industries with a high deforestation risk to water down and delay its landmark deforestation rules.

Freedom of Information documents recently obtained by the Wilderness Society reveal that the Australian Government actively lobbied to be included in a now-abandoned “zero risk” category, attempting to mask its deforestation record from international scrutiny.

Rampant deforestation continues through Australia’s unique forests. Wilderness Society analysis shows that nearly 195,000 hectares of ‘forest’ as defined by the EU was destroyed for beef production in Queensland in 2021–22 alone. World class  forests also continue to be decimated for timber, pulp and bauxite markets. Deforestation is putting threatened species–like the koala, red goshawk and glider–on the fast track to extinction, worsens climate change and impacts the Great Barrier Reef.

Adele Chasson, Manager of Corporate Engagement and Advocacy for the Wilderness Society, said, “The EU’s decision to list Australia as ‘low risk’ for deforestation is utter nonsense. It ignores the facts, and rewards Australia’s atrocious deforestation track record with a free pass. 

“We need strong laws like the EUDR to help protect forests in Australia. But this new country benchmarking system is dangerously inaccurate. It’s essential there’s proper checks on products coming from deforestation hotspots like Australia. That’s why we’d like to see the benchmarking revised to reflect science—not political and industry lobbying. 

"The Australian government and industry has only kicked the can down the road. This rating doesn’t change the fact that consumers around the world would be horrified to know their beef or timber is linked to koala habitat destruction. It’s time to go deforestation-free.”

Even with its shortcomings, the EUDR is a vital opportunity for Australia’s forests. It signals that companies trading in pulp, timber and beef must go deforestation-free if they want to keep access to important markets like the EU. The Australian Government must now act decisively to protect forests from destruction and meet its international commitments. Meanwhile, the EU must strengthen its classification system to ensure it delivers on its  global forest protection goals.