{"id":22855,"date":"2019-06-28T15:57:56","date_gmt":"2019-06-28T13:57:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/international\/?p=22855"},"modified":"2019-11-06T09:47:13","modified_gmt":"2019-11-06T08:47:13","slug":"greenpeace-france-blocks-arrival-of-soya-ship-to-stop-forest-destruction","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/international\/press-release\/22855\/greenpeace-france-blocks-arrival-of-soya-ship-to-stop-forest-destruction\/","title":{"rendered":"Greenpeace France blocks arrival of soya ship to stop forest destruction"},"content":{"rendered":"

S\u00e8te, France – Today, 50 activists from France, Germany and the Netherlands blocked a freighter carrying soymeal for animal feed coming from the port of Cotegipe, Salvador in Brazil, and<\/span> interrupted it from berthing at the port of S\u00e8te, south of France, to draw attention to deforestation for soya production.<\/span><\/p>\n

According to shipping information the cargo ship ELLIREA was destined to unload 50,000 tons of soymeal, half in France and half in Slovenia, to feed animals across the European Union.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Since<\/span> President Macron and his government are unable to meet their commitments to fight deforestation and climate change, we have decided to do it for them,” said C\u00e9cile Leuba, Forests Campaigner at Greenpeace France.<\/span><\/p>\n

At the quay, activists blocked the ship\u2019s access to the berth<\/span> and <\/span>four unloading cranes, at 14:30 local time. They also repainted the hull of the ship with the message “Forest Killer” and unfolded banners stating: “Stop industrial livestock” or “Warning: soya that deforests”.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re in a climate emergency and we can\u2019t tackle it with rhetoric and false promises. Protecting and restoring forests is one of the best defences we have against climate breakdown. The shift from industrial animal farming to ecological agriculture is more urgent than ever. Governments need to act while there are still forests left to protect. <\/span>France needs to implement its strategy against imported deforestation now,\u201d said Leuba.<\/span><\/p>\n

This protest follows the 11 June release of a report, entitled <\/span>Hooked on Meat: How Europe\u2019s soya addiction is feeding the climate emergency<\/span><\/a>, which shows how the industrial livestock system and over-consumption of meat and dairy in Europe are contributing to massive deforestation and the destruction of valuable ecosystems in South America.<\/span><\/p>\n

As much as 89% of the soya originating from the port of Cotegipe, Salvador comes from the Cerrado, the most biodiverse savannah in the world that originally covered 24% of Brazil.<\/span><\/p>\n

As victims of rapid destruction, the Cerrado\u2019s forests, savannas and grasslands are being converted into soya fields and cattle ranching areas. Nearly half of its original vegetation, about 88 million hectares, has already been destroyed, largely for beef and soya production, with devastating impacts on the region\u2019s biodiversity and traditional communities that call it home.<\/span><\/p>\n

Greenpeace is also concerned that these soya monocultures are often cultivated with<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>the use of GMOs and pesticides partially banned in the European Union.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Greenpeace France is calling for:<\/span><\/p>\n