26% SOUTH ASIA 47% SOUTHEAST ASIA Deforestation and environmental damage put primates at risk. This is an open access graphic distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License. Expanding global commodities trade and consumption place the world’s primates at risk of extinction. PeerJ 4:e7068 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.7068 http://peerj.com/articles/7068/ PRIMATES ARE IN DANGER COMMODITY-DRIVEN DEFORESTATION GROWTH IN COMMODITIES EXPORTS The expanded global production and international trade in agricultural and non-agricultural products (e.g. soybean, oil palm, natural rubber, beef, forestry products, fossil fuels, metals, minerals, and gemstones) throughout the tropics has caused widespread deforestation and environmental damage. Much of the deforestation is driven by the increasing demands for food, energy, and precious metals by a small number of consumer nations. Total forest loss in primate habitat countries between 2001 and 2017 is estimated at 179 million hectares. Expanding global commodities trade and consumption place the world’s primates at risk of extinction PRIMATES ARE LOSING THEIR FOREST HABITAT AT A RATE OF 10 MILLION HA PER YEAR! 179 MILLION HECTARES NEOTROPICS AFRICA SOUTH ASIA SOUTHEAST ASIA 26% NEOTROPICS 7% AFRICA 83.5 million ha 54.3 million ha 38.5 million ha of primates species are threatened by extinction 60% Commodities exports increased significantly between 2000 and 2016 in all primate range regions leading to the widespread conversion of forested land to agricultural fields and an increase in natural resource extraction. 2000 2016 NEOTROPICS AFRICA SOUTH ASIA SOUTHEAST ASIA Major increase in exports of soybeans and beef. Major increase in exports of oil palm and natural rubber. Major increase in exports of fossil fuels and minerals. Major increase in exports of gemstones and fossil fuels. Primate range countries lag far behind importer nations in food security and gross domestic product per capita, suggesting that trade and commodity-driven land-use have done little to generate wealth and well- being in primate habitat countries. FOOD SECURITY INDEX GDP PER CAPITA PRIMATE RANGE COUNTRIES LAG BEHIND TOP 10 EXPORTERS TOP 10 IMPORTERS WHAT SHOULD BE DONE? Immediate action is required by governments, multinational corporations, and global citizens to reverse the negative impacts of unsustainable commodities trade on income inequality, the destruction of natural environments, and the loss of primate biodiversity. For example: z “Greening” commodities trade (e.g. sustainable agriculture and resource extraction, forest restoration) z A global shift towards a low-meat diet z Reduced consumption of oil seed z Diminished use of timber, fossil fuels, metals, minerals and gemstones from the tropics z Stronger and sustained global resolve to regulate and reverse the negative impacts of growing unsustainable global demands and commodity trade on income inequality, and the destruction of primates and their habitats. AVERAGE % COMMODITY-DRIVEN DEFORESTATION PER REGION 2001-2015 GROWTH OF COMMODITIES EXPORTS BETWEEN 2000 AND 2016 (IN $US BN) Image credits: Black and white ruffed lemur (bottom): Steig Johnson All other photos: Rhett A. Butler (Mongabay) 449 232 119 304 168 102 86 25 1.9 million ha 76 $39,108 $12,833 57

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26%SOUTH

ASIA

47%SOUTHEAST

ASIA

Deforestation and environmental damage put primates at risk.

This is an open access graphic distributed under the terms of the

Creative Commons Attribution License.Expanding global commodities trade and consumption place the world’s primates at risk of extinction.PeerJ 4:e7068 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.7068http://peerj.com/articles/7068/

PRIMATES ARE IN DANGER

COMMODITY-DRIVEN DEFORESTATION

GROWTH IN COMMODITIES EXPORTS

The expanded global production and international trade in agricultural and non-agricultural products (e.g. soybean, oil palm, natural rubber, beef, forestry products, fossil fuels, metals, minerals, and gemstones) throughout the tropics has caused widespread deforestation and environmental damage.

Much of the deforestation is driven by the increasing demands for food, energy, and precious metals by a small number of consumer nations.

Total forest loss in primate habitat countries between 2001 and 2017 is estimated at 179 million hectares.

Expanding global commodities trade and consumption place the world’s primates at risk of extinction

PRIMATES ARE LOSING THEIR FOREST HABITAT AT A RATE OF 10 MILLION HA PER YEAR!

179MILLION

HECTARES

NEOTROPICS

AFRICA

SOUTH ASIA

SOUTHEAST ASIA

26%NEOTROPICS

7%AFRICA

83.5 million ha

54.3million ha

38.5million ha

of primates species are threatened by extinction

60%

Commodities exports increased significantly between 2000 and 2016 in all primate range regions leading to the widespread conversion of forested land to agricultural fields and an increase in natural resource extraction.

20002016

NEOTROPICS AFRICA SOUTH ASIA

SOUTHEAST ASIA

Major increase in exports of

soybeans and beef.

Major increase in exports of oil palm and

natural rubber.

Major increase in exports of

fossil fuels and minerals.

Major increase in exports of

gemstones and fossil fuels.

Primate range countries lag far behind importer nations in food security and gross domestic product per capita, suggesting that trade and commodity-driven land-use have done little to generate wealth and well-being in primate habitat countries.

FOOD SECURITY INDEX

GDP PER CAPITA

PRIMATE RANGE COUNTRIES LAG BEHIND

TOP 10 EXPORTERS TOP 10 IMPORTERS

WHAT SHOULD BE DONE?Immediate action is required by governments, multinational corporations, and global citizens to reverse the negative impacts of unsustainable commodities trade on income inequality, the destruction of natural environments, and the loss of primate biodiversity.

For example: z “Greening” commodities trade (e.g. sustainable agriculture and resource extraction, forest restoration)

z A global shift towards a low-meat diet z Reduced consumption of oil seed z Diminished use of timber, fossil fuels, metals, minerals and gemstones from the tropics

z Stronger and sustained global resolve to regulate and reverse the negative impacts of growing unsustainable global demands and commodity trade on income inequality, and the destruction of primates and their habitats.

AVERAGE % COMMODITY-DRIVEN DEFORESTATION PER REGION 2001-2015

GROWTH OF COMMODITIES EXPORTS BETWEEN 2000 AND 2016 (IN $US BN)

Image credits: Black and white ruffed lemur (bottom): Steig JohnsonAll other photos: Rhett A. Butler (Mongabay)

449

232

119

304

168

102 86

1.9million ha

$39,108$12,833

http://peerj.com/articles/7068/