The video from “If Not Us Then Who?” follows the aftermath of the murders of four indigenous leaders and activists, including Edwin Chota, in Peru. Through their widows and friends we learn about their ongoing fight for land titling. This story is one of many examples of Indigenous Peoples defending the forest and paying the ultimate sacrifice. The video was released in conjunction with a new report from the NGO Global Witness, “Peru's Deadly Environment”.
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This briefing addresses the promotion of ‘Blue Carbon’ initiatives, also known as ‘Blue REDD’, a new trend focused on trading the ‘stored’ carbon on marine and coastal territories, especially mangrove forests.
This publication addresses a new version of REDD, known as ‘Landscape REDD’, which is just as much of a false solution to climate change as the original version. Landscape REDD is aimed at encompassing besides forests, agricultural fields and practices. This trend remains a top-down approach, and focuses on protecting and promoting agribusiness, to the detriment of indigenous peoples and peasant farmer communities.
Only available in Portuguese.
A financeirização da natureza significa o aprofundamento radical do capitalismo e, ao mesmo tempo, configura-se como um neocolonialismo. Os povos indígenas e as comunidades tradicionais são os principais impactados por esta lógica perversa, que transforma a natureza em mercadoria e agrava ainda mais a desigualdade social.
Fact-finding and advocacy mission preliminary report, by Cristiane Faustino y Fabrina Furtado
Download the preliminary report as pdf here
A report by the Environmental Investigation Agency documents how ‘formal’ and ‘legal’ mechanisms for timber extraction in Peru are serving to ‘launder’ wood of controversial or illegal origin. Species like mahogany, for instance, are protected under Peruvian law which stipulates they may only be felled in concession areas awarded to specific companies.
Local communities affected by the oil palm plantations from the Société des Palmeraies du Cameroun (SOCAPALM) are waging an all-out battle to defend their rights, which are being trampled on with impunity. This giant agro-industrial palm oil production company, controlled by the Bolloré Group, has planted vast plantations in the coastal, central and southern regions of the country. Moreover, Bolloré also owns SOCFIN, the company responsible for destruction of villages and human rights violations in Nigeria.
Despite the fancy PR campaigns of Asia’s giant agribusiness group Wilmar praising itself for its “No Deforestation” policy, the company continues to purchase palm oil from suppliers that continue to clearcut vast forests and peatlands. Wilmar's business outside the PR department appears to be largely unaffected by its "No Deforestation" policy.