Strengthening agricultural certification schemes by adding criteria on forest restoration

Agricultural certification schemes are increasingly requiring concession holders to prevent deforestation when they develop plantations but do not sufficiently address forest restoration, which is necessary to prevent further biodiversity loss. This policy brief recommends, by focusing on palm oil, that agricultural certification schemes strengthen their criteria to promote forest restoration. It also explains specific and feasible ways in which certified concession holders could move beyond preventing deforestation, and toward mitigating biodiversity loss.