The destruction of mangrove forests implies the loss of unique species. Mangroves link the tropical forests with the coral reefs, providing a critical transition between terrestrial and marine ecosystems. They also protect shorelines from erosion, capture sediments --thus protecting coral reefs-- and are the spawning grounds for the majority of tropical commercial fish. They also protect coastal lowland rainforests from tropical storms. They are critical to local biodiversity, harbouring plants and animals totally unique to mangrove ecosystems.
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Globalisation has encroached upon our table. Foods are trailed all along the seas, from South to North and from East to West. The farther, the better (for transnational companies) because that implies trade, packing, conservation processes, tariffs, importers, exporters, and so on.
Nowadays, there are tropical fruits available in cold countries’ markets, or fish and seafood in landlocked regions. And the list goes on. This is shown as a sign of progress and more choices for the people...
This ground-breaking book explains the history and politics of dam building worldwide and shows why large dams have become the most controversial of technologies. It describes the many technical, safety and economic problems which afflict the technology, the structure of the international dam–building industry, and the role played by international banks and aid agencies in promoting the technology in the South.
One of the most commonly used arguments by those promoting large scale monoculture tree plantations is that they generate employment. As we will see from the following examples, such arguments are false.
Soap, lipsticks, chocolate or perfumes are difficult to perceive as products associated to deforestation and human rights abuses in the tropics. However, this can easily be the case when one of their components is palm oil, though few people outside the plantation areas are aware about this.
The first aim of this book is thus to highlight the impacts associated with large-scale oil palm plantations by providing a general overview of the problem and a broad range of country-level situations, ranging from articles to detailed case studies in Africa, Asia and Latin America.
This book includes a selection of articles published in the World Rainforest Movement's (WRM) Bulletin on the issue of Forest Stewardship Council certification of tree plantations.
A draft “Revised Forest Strategy for the World Bank Group” was recently placed on the World Bank’s web page ( www.worldbank.org/forestry ). The draft strategy is scheduled to be discussed by a Sub-Committee of the World Bank’s Board in late September and to be adopted by the full Board by the end of 2001. Strategies intend to provide guidance for World Bank staff but their recommendations are not binding. Operational Policies (OP) on the other hand are binding documents and provide the most important yardstick against which civil society groups can hold World Bank staff accountable.
The World Bank has just forwarded its revised draft resettlement policy to the full Board of Executive Directors for discussion and approval. Starting August 20th, Executive Directors will be returning to their offices from a two week recess, and it is crucial to capture their attention immediately about the resettlement policy. We believe that it will be placed on their agenda shortly after the recess.
The indigenous Shawi people repeat their call for protests in defense of their territory in the tropical rainforest. This time the threat is in the form of the world's leading gold mining company: Barrick Gold Corporation.
The World Rainforest Movement widely distributed before the meeting of the Conference of the Parties an appeal which was endorsed by more than 180 people and organizations during the first week after being issued, which among other things states that:
The Third International Forum of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities on Climate Change held on July 14-15 in Bonn produced a declaration (available in full at http://www.wrm.org.uy/actors/CCC/IPBonn.html). The following is a selection of quotes from the declaration:
This statement, endorsed by a large number of mainly international organizations, was released during the UN climate summit in Bonn (July 16-27) and warned "against a further weakening and distortion of the Kyoto Protocol, as governments try to accommodate the irresponsible position of the US (and a growing number of other countries)."