International mechanisms like REDD are meant to work as an incentive for countries to slow down and possibly stop the rates of deforestation of valuable forests land. REDD is implemented in many countries around the world but the effectiveness and fairness of the strategy is debated in the policy and research arena. Is this the most effective way to encourage sustainable forestry? Naturally to stop deforestation one needs to understand it and a fundamental question to be answered is: What are the primary drivers behind deforestation?

Martin Persson and Sabine Henders - both members of the Focali network - together with Thomas Kastner have published a working paper with the Center for Global Development. The paper, which is part of the larger project Why Forests? Why Now? The Science, Economics, and Politics of Tropical Forests and Climate Change, is an initiative that aims to highlight the importance of tropical forests for climate stability and the promotion of sustainable development. 

 
The article is an analysis of how and where global supply-chains link consumers of agricultural and forest commodities over the world to the destruction of forests in tropical countries. First their research explores the link between deforestation and four commodities usually traded on the global markets: beef, soybeans, palm oil and wood products.