Leveraging remote sensing for transparency and accountability in Amazonian commodity supply chains

Review article, 2024

Stopping deforestation linked to agricultural commodity supply chains is crucial for Amazonian biodiversity protection and climate change mitigation. Remote sensing technologies are essential for monitoring deforestation, providing precise data on land-use changes. However, effective deforestation control requires more than monitoring alone. In this Primer, we explain how remote sensing can be applied to effectively monitor deforestation activities. We further elaborate on what is needed to improve transparency and traceability within commodity supply chains so that we can identify and hold accountable those contributing to forest loss, preventing their products from entering the market. While cross-sector initiatives are transforming approaches to this challenge, greater integration is needed to connect these elements and ensure that forest-risk commodities cease driving deforestation in the Amazon.