A letter that came to light a few weeks before the COP15 conference in Montreal suggests that the conference organisers tried to soften EU regulations on deforestation.

The Canadian government stands accused of prioritising its timber industry over the environment, as the content of the letter is seen as an attempt to weaken the world's most extensive regulations on international trade aimed at preventing deforestation.

A few weeks before the UN Biodiversity Conference COP15, which took place in Montreal, Canadian representatives sent a letter to the European Commission requesting a review of the “burdensome traceability requirements” in the EU’s proposed scheme, which aims to eradicate unsustainably sourced timber products from the world's largest market.

Canada's Ambassador to the EU, Ailish Campbell (Ailish Campbell), also called in the letter for a “phased” approach that would slow down the implementation of the rules, and for a review of plans to include “degraded” forests in risk zones.

Green MEPs and environmental groups pointed out that these lobbying efforts suggest Justin Trudeau's government is prioritising Canada’s paper, timber and wood-processing industries over the international commitment made at last year's Glasgow climate conference to “halt and reverse” forest loss (deforestation) and land degradation by 2030.