Dear John,

Last winter, the world watched as illegal deforestation caused 2.3 million acres
of forest and land across Indonesia to burn for weeks. And every year, big
agribusiness slashes an area of tropical rainforest the size of Oregon.

But these businesses don’t act alone -- they’re propped up by financial firms
like BlackRock, the world’s largest investment company. BlackRock has more money
invested in big agribusiness than any other company in the world.

BlackRock could stop financing these businesses altogether, or it could use its
influence to make them stop slashing forests. So far, it has done neither of
these things -- so we need your help to demand BlackRock protect our forests.

Fight rainforest destruction: Tell BlackRock to stop financing companies that
slash forests around the world!
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Our rainforests are the most biodiverse ecosystems on the planet. They also are
home to Indigenous communities who rely on the unique environment to preserve
their cultures and ways of life.

But when big agribusinesses look at our forests, all they see is potential for
palm oil plantations and other industrial ag projects.

Industrial plantation agriculture does irreparable damage to forests and
wildlife. But it is also a leading cause of violent land conflicts that
dispossess and displace Indigenous peoples and local communities.

Some of the world’s top consumer brands committed to stop driving deforestation
by 2020 -- and they have failed. BlackRock has billions invested in many of
these companies, and so far it hasn't done enough to change their ways. We
simply can’t stop the destruction of places like the Amazon Rainforest unless
BlackRock shifts. But that will only happen if it feels pressure from people
like you!

Protect our planet’s rainforest: Tell BlackRock to stop fueling deforestation!
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BlackRock manages a jaw-dropping $7 trillion in assets. That’s trillions of
dollars that could help solve the climate crisis rather than fund rainforest
destruction and human rights violations.

So what can BlackRock specifically do to fight deforestation? It can use
shareholder power to pressure the companies it owns to end deforestation. It can
vote out the managers at these companies that let the problems continue. And
when agribusiness companies refuse to change their ways, BlackRock can cut these
companies out of its portfolios.

The next big step for BlackRock would involve bowing to public pressure. In
January BlackRock announced it will begin dropping coal companies from its
portfolios. In February it made a public statement about getting more aggressive
with the agribusiness companies it owns about “land rights of Indigenous
peoples” and about the other dangerous environmental impacts of deforestation.

This shows that BlackRock is listening to us. But talk is cheap: BlackRock needs
a set of high level policies to ensure it drives back deforestation.

Around the world, people of all ages, from the elderly to youth, have been
rising up to tell BlackRock to divest from destruction. Now we need you with us,
John, to demand BlackRock defund deforestation. Our
planet can’t wait!

Join the movement to stop rainforest destruction: Tell BlackRock to divest from
deforestation!
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Standing with you,
Jeff Conant,
Senior international forest program manager,
Friends of the Earth

Contact Us:Friends of the Earth U.S.

Washington, D.C. | Berkeley, CA

1-877-843-8687

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