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Securing community forest concessions in Bafwasende, DR Congo

After dedicated effort and persistence, nine local communities in Bafwasende, DR Congo have secured their rights to more than 320,000 hectares in the form of local community forest concessions (CFCLs). This was the result of more than three years of advocacy, lobbying and collaboration with various stakeholders, including our partner Tropenbos DR Congo as well as provincial and national authorities.

Companies are violating the rights of Africans through logging

In West and Central Africa, companies are seizing forests for logging. In doing so, they are violating the rights of indigenous communities. Local and Western governments must help to address this issue.

Financiers with RSPO membership should stop greenwashing Socfin

Palm oil company Socfin is linked to land grabbing, environmental damage, and human rights violations. Yet, Socfin holds the RSPO label, a certification for sustainable palm oil. We call on 11 RSPO members to stop greenwashing Socfin.

Survey confirms civic space in tropical forest landscapes is under pressure

Effective forest conservation and Indigenous peoples and local communities (IP&LC)-led forest governance can only be achieved in a context where civil society organisations (CSOs) and IP&LCs can act in a safe operational space. A survey carried out by the Green Livelihoods Alliance (GLA), of which IUCN NL is part in 2023 showed that partners and communities in the GLA’s Forests for a Just Future programme experience difficulties in their civic freedom, seriously impacting their work to protect forests and the livelihoods of IP&LCs in forest landscapes.

RSPO should reject membership of palm oil giant AAL

The Indonesian palm oil company Astra Agro Lestari (AAL) wants to become a member of the RSPO. This body for sustainable palm oil is okay with that, even though AAL causes significant harm to people and nature. The RSPO continues to greenwash harmful practices.

Deforestation for green energy, a contradiction in terms

The world is switching from fossil fuels to clean energy, but mining the minerals that are needed for solar panels, wind turbines and batteries is destructive to ecosystems and local communities. Can it be done differently? 'Mining companies are now starting afresh, but now they are also wearing a green jacket – after all, they are digging for the energy transition! But they still operate entirely according to the old, colonial system.' Vice Versa sets out on an investigation.

Paper producer Suzano causes large-scale deforestation

A new report exposes the devastating impact of Suzano’s operations on South America’s environment and local communities. The paper producer is a major landholder, controlling 2.7 million hectares across 7 Brazilian states and 3 crucial biomes.

The partnership, a platform, a springboard

‘If one partner leaves the alliance, it would feel like the amputation of a leg.’ A conversation with Diana Nabiruma and Richard Ssemmanda of the Green Livelihoods Alliance, about their fight against deforestation for fossil fuel extraction in Uganda and their support for local communities – ‘and they protect us from intelligence agents’.

This is what the economy of the Amazon will look like

At last year’s regional summit Conversations from the Amazon, representatives of Indigenous peoples gathered in Colombia to share knowledge and develop ‘sustainable initiatives of cultural and economic value’. Governments in the Amazon can set to work with them now, for the protection of the world’s richest rainforest. ‘You can cross the border in ten minutes, but sometimes it takes you years to complete a deal legally.’

This article originally appeared in a special issue of journalistic platform Vice Versa’ called “Listen, a new sound!” about the Power of Voices partnerships.