After many years of supporting local struggles and disseminating information from different countries on tree monocultures and its impacts, WRM presents a new report to all those involved in these struggle (1). No better time than the month of September 21st, International Day of Struggle against Tree Monocultures (2), to launch this new report.
After Ricardo Carrere and Larry Lohmann wrote a profound book on the tree plantations issue related to the pulp and paper industry (Pulping the South, published in 1996), WRM identified the need to write again a general report on the issue. This new report covers the main plantation types (eucalyptus, pine, acacia, oil palm, rubber) and systematizes impacts of these plantations reported over the past 15 years in many Southern countries, mainly based on communities’ experiences. Meanwhile, the report also presents numbers on the expansion of industrial tree plantations since the 1990ies, and looks at new relevant trends that have been pushing for further plantation expansion since then.
By focusing on three country case studies (Brazil, Mozambique and Indonesia), we reflect on the importance of and experiences of resistance struggles, showing more and more how harmful plantations result for local peoples livelihoods.
The report shows a fourfold expansion of industrial tree plantations in the Global South to more than 60 million hectares today, based on an irrational logic of profit making together with a continuous plundering of natural resources. It also shows the key players which are still mainly from the North.
This new report intends to be a tool for local activists and organizations that already deal with or are forced to deal now with this problem. It makes a strong appeal for broader and stronger alliances, South-South and North-South, to be more effective in the attempt to halt this ongoing expansion.
Best regards,
The WRM team
Download as pdf: An overview of industrial tree plantations in the global South. conflicts, trends, and resistance struggles.
Also available in Bahasa: Sebuah tinjauan terhadap industri perkebunan di bagian Selatan. Konflik, tren, dan resistensi perjuangan
This publications can also be downloaded from EJOLT's website at:
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Notes:
1. “An overview of industrial tree plantations in the global South: conflicts, trends, and resistance struggles” has been written under the auspices of a project called EJOLT (Environmental Justice Organizations, Liabilities and Trade, see www.ejolt.org), which brings together 23 activitst organizations and universities to document environmental injustice.
2. For further information on September 21st, International Day of Struggle against Tree Monocultures, please visit: http://www.wrm.org.uy/