Forests

Imposes binding, time-limited restoration, demolition, and court-reporting obligations on state authorities. Bars tiger safaris in core and critical habitats and confines permitted safaris to specified buffer lands outside tiger corridors tied to rescue/rehabilitation centres and conservation funding.

State control replaces private use for the reclaimed parcels, named individuals face criminal accountability, and official publication of survey results establishes a transparency requirement for forest-land records.

Sweden, a major exporter of forest products, has proposed a forestry policy aimed at increasing tree growth through nitrogen fertilization. While this may provide short-term benefits, it risks long-term soil health and biodiversity, potentially undermining EU climate objectives and sending a negative signal to other forest nations.

Indonesia has announced a commitment to recognize 1.4 million hectares of Indigenous and customary forests by 2029, aiming to reduce deforestation and enhance Indigenous rights. However, activists express skepticism, citing a history of unfulfilled promises and ongoing land conflicts driven by state-backed development projects that threaten Indigenous territories.

Ghana has become the first African nation to export timber under the EU's Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) license, which certifies the legality and sustainability of timber. This milestone, achieved after 16 years of negotiations, allows Ghanaian timber to enter the EU market without further legality checks, potentially setting a precedent for other countries while raising concerns about the future of similar agreements amid changing EU policies.