Skip to content

The FOREST Act – Let’s Get Loud, Take Action!

The FOREST Act

Ask Congress to support a healthy climate with healthy forests 🌳

Protect forests by opposing illegal deforestation.

The FOREST Act has not been reintroduced in the new 118th Congress – yet! Now is the time to encourage your Senators and House Representative  to reintroduce and support the bill.

Tell your Members of Congress to support the FOREST Act when it is reintroduced.

Healthy trees pull carbon out of the atmosphere, reducing the impacts of climate change. This bill fights deforestation worldwide by restricting the importation of products produced on land undergoing illegal deforestation. Both Republicans and Democrats support it.

 

Email your members of Congress to let them know you want them to support the FOREST Act today.

What is the FOREST Act?

The FOREST Act outlines a framework and map for long-term actions to address illegal deforestation. These actions involve coordinating work with interagency groups, an advisory board of experts and governments from other countries. Passing the FOREST Act would restrict the United States’ importation of wood products originating from illegally deforested land.

Learn more about the FOREST Act in our training video:

Frequently Asked Questions

Will my representative listen to me?

Yes! The idea that elected representatives don’t listen to their constituents is not true. In reality, congressional staffers take every call and voicemail and read every email their office receives and pass these onto their member of Congress in regular briefings. Congress works for you, and they want to know what their constituents care about. You may receive a generic email in response, but your message was still received loud and clear.

 

Who introduced the FOREST Act?

The Fostering Overseas Rule of law and Environmentally Sound Trade (FOREST) Act of 2021 was originally introduced in the 117th Congress by Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) and Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) in the House and Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI) in the Senate, making it an important bipartisan climate initiative. It is likely to retain support and be reintroduced in the 118th Congress, which is why we need to put it on Congress’ radar now.

 

Why do we need the FOREST Act?

Trees are nature’s vacuum cleaner. They pull carbon out of the air, reducing the impacts of climate change. But the world is currently losing 25 million acres of forests per year to deforestation. That rate has slowed down from 40 million acres lost per year in the 1990s, but we still need to do much better. Most deforestation is occurring in tropical countries like Brazil and Indonesia, often to convert the land to grow crops and livestock to sell on the international market.

 

The FOREST Act would create a risk-based framework for increasing transparency in supply chains and foster international cooperation by creating an action plan that enables countries, companies and the U.S. federal government to coordinate solutions to reduce illegal deforestation.

 

How will the FOREST Act combat deforestation?

The FOREST Act will require companies that import wood and wood products to certify they have exercised reasonable care to ensure that goods made were not produced from illegally deforested land. It will also establish a purchasing preference for the federal government for deforestation-free products.

 

Why should the U.S. get involved with deforestation in other countries?

Trees are nature’s vacuum cleaner. They pull carbon out of the air, reducing the impacts of climate change. We all benefit from planting new trees and protecting the health of existing forests, including the ones overseas. If the U.S. wants to be a leader on the world stage in combating climate change, we must oppose illegal deforestation.

 

Additionally, everybody loves trees and wants to help them grow – especially Americans. 90% of Americans are supportive of more trees to absorb carbon emissions, meaning forest health is the place to start fostering bipartisan collaboration on climate solutions.

 

How else can I help?

You only need to send your Senators and House Representative one email each using our tool.  Then, share this page with any friends, family and coworkers who want to help pass the FOREST Act before the end of 2023!

Who is Citizens’ Climate Lobby?

Citizens’ Climate Lobby (CCL) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan grassroots advocacy climate change organization that exists to create the political will for climate change solutions by enabling individual breakthroughs in the exercise of personal and political power.

 

Our consistently respectful, nonpartisan approach to climate education is designed to create a broad, sustainable foundation for climate action across all geographic regions and political inclinations.

 

CCL empowers everyday people to work with their community and their members of Congress. Our supporters cover the political spectrum and work in more than 450 local chapters. Together, we’re building support for a national bipartisan solution to climate change.