Researchers say that more companies need to make and implement zero-deforestation supply chain commitments in order to make a difference in the environment.
Between 2006 and 2015, tree clearance in the Brazilian Amazon decreased by 1.6% as a result of corporate pledges not to buy soy.
The protected area in the Amazon rainforest is less than the size of the UK.
The findings are published in the journal Environmental Research Letters. A team from the University of Cambridge was involved in the project.
In Brazil's tropical savanna, zero-deforestation commitments have not been adopted effectively, leaving over 50% of soy-suitable forests without protection.
The largest remaining tropical forests on the planet are being quickly cleared to rear cattle and grow crops. An estimated 4,800 km2 of the rainforest is cleared each year to grow soy.
Most of the soy used in food is eaten by humans. It forms a key part of vegetarian and vegan diet and accounts for 27% of vegetable oil production.
Zero-deforestation commitments were adopted by 94 companies by the end of the year. Many of the commitments aren't put into practice.
Adoption of zero-deforestation commitments is lagging among small and medium-sized food companies.
"Zero-deforestation pledges are a great first step, but they need to be implemented to have an effect on forests, and right now it's mostly the bigger companies that have the resources to do this."
Current levels of forest clearance in Brazil could be reduced by 40% if soybean traders implemented their commitments for zero-deforestation production.
The second largest contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions is deforestation. It causes the loss of diverse animal and plant life and threatens the livelihoods of indigenous groups.
The supply chains of other food products like cattle, oil palm and cocoa are more complex than soy, making it harder to monitor.
It's crucial to expand zero-deforestation supply chain policies beyond soy in order to contribute to the task of tackling deforestation in Brazil.
The first voluntary zero-deforestation commitment in the tropics was a soy moratorium. Most of the Brazilian soy is produced in the Cerrado, which is rich in biodiversity.
According to the researchers, private sector efforts are not enough to stop the destruction of the environment.
"Supply chain governance should not be a substitute for state-led forest policies, which are critical to enable zero depredation monitoring and enforcement, have better potential to cover different crops, land users, and regions, and should not be used as a substitute for supply chain governance",
The Glasgow Leaders' Declaration on Forests and Land Use made a commitment to stop and reverse the destruction of forests. 85% of the world's forests were signed by it.
More information: Gaps in Adoption and Implementation Limit the Current and Potential Effectiveness of Zero-Deforestation Supply Chain Policies for Soy, Environmental Research Letters (2022). DOI: 10.1088/1748-9326/ac97f6 Journal information: Environmental Research Letters
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