Big consumer goods companies take aim at deforestation

The Consumer Goods Forum, a consortium of 400 global consumer goods manufacturers and retailers, today announced plans to work against deforestation and to phase out the use of refrigerants that emit greenhouse gases.

"The initiatives that our industry announced today are good examples of the kind of bold and positive action that will be needed to move the needle in combating climate change," said Muhtar Kent, chairman and chief executive of Coca-Cola and co-chair of the Forum.

At a climate change summit in Cancun, Mexico, the group said the consumer goods industry creates many of the economic incentives that drive deforestation in places like Brazil and Indonesia through its use of soya, palm oil, beef, paper and board. It wants its member companies to purchase the commodities in a way that encourages producers not to expand into forested areas.