The hill districts in the Chittagong region in Bangladesh have seen a large-scale switch from the traditional shifting agriculture, or jhum, to more profitable cash crop cultivation in recent years.
Countries like Indonesia have already agreed to amend local labour laws as part of an earlier trade deal with the United States. Experts say businesses should monitor proceedings and defend best practices for worker rights.
Seagrass is known for its blue carbon potential, but meadows also play an important role in coastal protection by helping reduce wave intensity and stabilising sediments, both of which are key to reducing coastal erosion.