Metla Finland

Mongabay: In a landmark ruling, Indonesia's Constitutional Court has invalidated the Indonesian government's claim to millions of hectares of forest land, potentially giving indigenous and local communities the right to manage their customary forests, reports Mongabay-Indonesia. In a review of a 1999 forestry law, Indonesia's Constitutional Court ruled [PDF - Indonesian] that customary forests should not be classified as "State Forest Areas". The move is significant because Indonesia's central government...

Mongabay: Panama's largest association of indigenous people will sue the Panamanian government to shut down the country's Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD+) program. The National Coordinator of Indigenous Peoples in Panama (COONAPIP) announced its intent after it failed to reach agreement with the United Nation's REDD+ program, which has been working to establish a forest conservation framework in the Central American country. REDD+ aims to compensate tropical countries for cutting...

SciDevNet: Efforts to protect plant species important for nutrition, medicine and cultural heritage are being hampered by the failure of ethnobotanists -- scientists who study the relationship between people and plants -- to connect with policymakers and the wider development community, warn experts. A new global programme is needed to mainstream ethnobotany into development and to place local communities' needs and traditional knowledge at the heart of plant conservation, a meeting of scientists at the...

The Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF), and Bioversity International have held a side event on landscape-level approaches to food security at the first 'International Conference on Forests for Food Security and Nutrition.'

The Government of Japan and the International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) have jointly signed an agreement to fund implementation of a large forest land rehabilitation project in Côte d'Ivoire. The financing, at the level of 1.8 million USD, will support a project to rehabilitate Côte d'Ivoire's forest lands degraded during civil warfare in 2002–2005 and 2010–2011.

17 May, 2013

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - 17 MAY 2013

As part of its project: "REDD financing, Human Rights and Economic Development for Sustainable Poverty Reduction of forest communities in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)", Forest Peoples Programme (FPP), and its local partners in the DRC: Actions pour les Droits, l'Environnement et la Vie (ADEV), Réseau pour la Conservation et la Réhabilitation des Ecosystèmes Forestiers (Réseau CREF), Cercle pour la Défense de l'Environnement (CEDEN), et Centre d'Accompagnement des Autochtones Pygmées et Minoritaires Vulnérables (CAMV), have published, in collaboration with the Organisation d’Accompagnement et d’Appui aux Pygmées (OSAPY), the first volume of a new book series titled Forêts Africaines - Tabernacle des Savoirs (FOATAS) (African Forests – Fountain of Knowledge). The principle theme of this first volume is: Indigenous Peoples and Free, Prior and Informed Consent.

This publication was made possible by the generous funding support of the Swedish Agency for International Development (SIDA).

Indigenous Peoples and Free, Prior and Informed Consent contains contributions from 12 international authors (Congolese, French, American, Belgian, Cameroonian, Madagascan, amongst others) and discusses the right of local and indigenous communities to FPIC.

Free, Prior and Informed Consent is the right of local and indigenous communities to give or withhold their consent to proposed development projects that may affect their lands, resources or lifestyle. If extractive industries, agribusiness and conservation projects do not respect a community’s right to FPIC, community food security is often weakened, and poverty is made worse.  

FPIC is recognised in international law (in particular in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples), in the jurisprudence of the monitoring bodies of international treaties on human rights, such as the Inter-American Court on Human Rights as well as the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights. FPIC is also progressively being included as a key principle in the operational policies of international financial institutions and non-state entities more generally.

The book demonstrates how large multinational companies, in search of large tracts of land to establish their investment programmes, do not pay adequate attention to the rights of communities already living there. Through detailed examples taken from across the world, the authors demonstrate that the development of local and indigenous communities is not possible if the right to FPIC is not incorporated into binding national laws and effectively implemented on the ground.

Indigenous Peoples and Free, Prior and Informed Consent was officially launched on Friday 10th May, 2013 at a high profile event in Kinshasa attended by the General Secretariat of the DRC’s Ministry of Environment, Nature Conservation and Tourism (MECNT), academic institutions, national and international civil society organisations, development partners and several media organisations.

During the launch event, the General Secretariat of MECNT reiterated the fact that this publication is the first and only of its kind in the DRC to improve public knowledge on the issue of FPIC, and to serve as a guiding instrument for decision makers in the process of informed decision making, which should lead the country to better respecting community rights and sustainable development.

MECNT is very satisfied with the publication, which it regards as a valued contribution to government efforts to ensure that interests of all stakeholders, including local and indigenous peoples, are taken into account in all development projects taking place around the country.

The launch event was concluded by the Secretary General of MECNT's representative, Mr. Benjamin Toirambe, Director of the Sustainable Development Department at MECNT.

FPP and its local partners are reflecting on how best to build on the academic, technical and political enthusiasm currently manifested in the DRC following this publication launch. Their aim is to convene information exchange meetings and consultations with national and provincial parliamentarians in order to advocate for FPIC integration into Congolese legislation. Meetings with universities and other academic institutions are also planned in order to encourage and popularise research on FPIC in the country.  

Indigenous Peoples and Free, Prior and Informed Consent is available to download (in French only) from the FPP website here: http://www.forestpeoples.org/sites/fpp/files/publication/2013/05/premier-numero-foatas-peuples-autoctones-et-clipmay2013.pdf

For further information please contact:

Patrick Kipalu, Project Coordinator, Forest Peoples Programme: +243 815425052 pkipalu@forestpeoples.org

John Nelson, Africa Regional Coordinator, Forest Peoples Programme: +44 (0)1608 652893 john@forestpeoples.org

 

RELATED CONTENT Forêts Africaines - Tabernacle des Savoirs: Les Peuples Autochtones et le Consentement, Libre, Informé et Préalable (CLIP) Les Peuples Autochtones et le Consentement, Libre, Informé et Préalable (CLIP) The Status of the REDD+ process in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Climate change may have little impact on many species of tropical lizards, contradicting a host of recent studies that predict their widespread extinction in a rapidly warming planet.

Agricultural carbon projects involving smallholder farmers can take up to 16 years to generate a profit from carbon credits.

read more

OL 101 Northern Nonprofit Track
Designing and Funding Sustainable Nonprofit Projects   OL 101 comes in two tracks: A Northern Nonprofit and an International Development track.
You can choose to work on a project in a developed nation (Northern Nonprofit) or a project in a developing nation (International Development) no matter where you live. It's your choice! You can work locally in your own backyard or if you would prefer we can partner you with a classmate from another part of the world. Learn more about OL 101: From the Ground Up. Designing and Funding Sustainable Nonprofit Projects

Northern Nonprofit Track. If you work with a nonprofit in a northern country working on traditional programs such as food banks, animal rescue, teen drop-in centers, homeless shelters, day care centers, community development, or environmental restoration and conservation—this track will help you develop a sustainable, impact oriented local project.

Northern students have come from these developed nations: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Monaco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Singapore, Spain, Switzerland, Taiwan, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, and the United States.

Activities that northern students have done through the course have included activities for the elderly, adaptation to climate change, agricultural market linkages, alternative energy sources, alternative transportation, bicycle paths, business skills training for immigrants, community development, conservation, elderly care facilities, financial literacy, livestock association formation, natural resource management, recycling, revitalization of an Iowa town, and vocational skills training.

Partnerships. If you're from a northern country and would prefer to work on international project, but don't have contact with a developing nation community—don't worry—we will partner you with a classmate from a developing nation who does have community access—and you can develop a project together. Read more about student partnerships.   International Development Track: If your interests are working with communities in developing nations on projects as diverse as food security, water, health, income generation or education continue reading just below: we've worked with course participants from 146 different countries who've worked on 270 different kinds of projects.   All that you need to do to enter a Northern Nonprofit or International Development track is to indicate your preference on the appropriate line on the student information form—and the course facilitator will take care of the rest.

Read more about where developing nations students have come from and the kinds of projects that they have developed.

OL 101 Northern Nonprofit Track
Designing and Funding Sustainable Nonprofit Projects OL 101 comes in two tracks: Northern Nonprofit and an International Development. You can choose to work on a project in a developed nation (Northern Nonprofit) or a project in a developing nation (International Development) no matter where you live. It's your choice! You can work locally in your own backyard or if you would prefer we can partner you with a classmate from another part of the world.

Northern Nonprofit Track. If you work with a nonprofit in a northern country working on traditional programs such as food banks, animal rescue, teen drop-in centers, homeless shelters, day care centers, community development, or environmental restoration and conservation—this track will help you develop a sustainable, impact oriented local project.

Northern students have come from these developed nations: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Monaco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Singapore, Spain, Switzerland, Taiwan, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, and the United States.

Activities that northern students have done through the course have included activities for the elderly, adaptation to climate change, agricultural market linkages, alternative energy sources, alternative transportation, bicycle paths, business skills training for immigrants, community development, conservation, elderly care facilities, financial literacy, livestock association formation, natural resource management, recycling, revitalization of an Iowa town, and vocational skills training.

Partnerships. If you're from a northern country and would prefer to work on international project, but don't have contact with a developing nation community—don't worry—we will partner you with a classmate from a developing nation who does have community access—and you can develop a project together. Read more about student partnerships. International Development Track: If your interests are working with communities in developing nations on projects as diverse as food security, water, health, income generation or education continue reading just below: we've worked with course participants from 146 different countries who've worked on 270 different kinds of projects. http://www.csd-i.org/student-countries-ngos/ All that you need to do to enter a Northern Nonprofit or International Development track is to indicate your preference on the appropriate line on the student information form—and the course facilitator will take care of the rest.

Read more about where developing nations students have come from and the kinds of projects that they have worked on.

Magnus Olsson (64), one of the greatest sportsmen in the world of sailing and one of the coaches and mentors for Team SCA, has passed away at a hospital in Spain. His family and friends were by his side.

April 20, 2013 – WEST, Texas – Firefighters and apparatus from Waxahachie Fire Rescue, Cedar Hill Fire Department and Red Oak Fire Rescue were mobilized Friday afternoon to assist with emergency response in West, Texas, following the massive fertilizer plant explosion earlier this week. The resources were mobilized through the Texas Intrastate Fire Mutual Aid System (TIFMAS) administered by Texas A&M Forest Service. Texas Gov. Rick Perry announced the activation at a press conference Friday. Twelve firefighters from the three municipal departments arrived in West late Friday afternoon with a command vehicle, two fire engines and a heavy rescue vehicle. They will be tasked with covering shifts for the West Volunteer Fire Department and assisting with rescue operations. The firefighters will supplement numerous other resources already on site in West – including a regional incident management team and a team of personnel from Texas A&M Forest Service. The TIFMAS program was created in the 2009 Legislature and is a collaborative effort of the Texas Fire Chiefs Association, State Firemen’s and Fire Marshal’s Association, Texas State Association of Fire Fighters, Texas Commission on Fire Protection and Texas A&M Forest Service. The program offers training, equipment and vehicle grants, credentialing standards and mobilization systems to make statewide use of local resources. Since its inception, TIFMAS has mobilized both resources and personnel for Hurricanes Ike and Alex and numerous wildfire responses in 2009 and 2011. For more information, contact the Texas A&M Forest Service Communications Team at newsmedia@tfs.tamu.edu.

Globe and Mail: Bill McKibben, the firebrand leader of the crusade to kill the Keystone XL oil pipeline, is losing the battle for hearts and minds. Perhaps that's why he sounds so depressed. One of the most environmentally friendly presidents is in the White House, and he still might not kill it off. "Go past a certain point," warned Mr. McKibben in The Guardian, "and we may no longer be able to affect the outcome in ways that will prevent long-term global catastrophe. We're clearly nearing that limit." Mr....

RTCC: The UK Government has announced it will join a business-led initiative to tackle deforestation, a major source of greenhouse gas emissions. The Tropical Forests Alliance 2020 (TFA 2020), which helps businesses cut their impact on forests, was established in 2012 by the US government and the Consumer Goods Forum (CGF), a group of 400 retailers and manufacturers which collectively have annual sales in excess of US$ 3 trillion. Between 2000 and 2010 there was a net loss of forests of 5.2 million...

Guardian: While forests once provided subsistence for local people, for generations clearing forested land has also been good for global business, providing immediate food security for the world. Put simply, forests have been worth more dead than alive. As populations grow, emerging and industrialised countries are looking to the three great world forest regions – the Three Basins of the Congo, the Amazon and south-east Asia – for their growing resource needs. The economic imperative to acquire and clear...

A new Women’s Carbon Standard has been launched to consider – for the first time - gender issues in climate change mitigation projects.

read more

There is a proposed World Heritage site in northwestern Ontario and eastern Manitoba named Pimachiowin Aki. Indigenous people have been managing the land and forests in this area for thousands of years. Pimachiowin Aki means “the land that gives life” in the Anishinaabe (Ojibwe) language. The proposed World Heritage site is 33,400 km2 and includes the traditional [...]

ForestTalk.com - Your source for Canadian forestry news

Villagers in the West African Sahel know what has changed their landscape, but how do they now adapt to the added challenges of climate change?

read more