The automotive industry's insatiable demand for leather is driving illegal deforestation in the Amazon rainforest. Cattle ranching, a major supplier of leather for car interiors, has been linked to the destruction of vast tracts of forest. Criminal groups clear land illegally to establish pastures, often using violence to intimidate local communities and environmental activists. The resulting loss of habitat and species displacement has devastating consequences for the rainforest ecosystem and the livelihoods of indigenous peoples who rely on it. The car industry must take responsibility for its role in this environmental crime and implement sustainable practices to protect the Amazon rainforest for future generations.
