Illegally dismissed Community Members receive compensation from palm oil company Golden Veroleum Liberia.
On Wednesday 20th October 2021, sixteen victims of wrongful dismissal received over 35.000 USD in financial compensation. The wrongful act was committed by Golden Veroleum Liberia, a palm oil company controlled by Singapore listed Golden Agri-Resources after the local community members from Butaw protested against the company back in 2015. The case stands for a sign of hope and sets a precedent for Liberians and communities in other countries that resist rights violations and destructive practices from the multinationals occupying their customary lands. Moreover, this victory will serve as a deterrent for other concessionaires and encourage them to recognize the rights of local communities.
Political freedom in Uganda increasingly under pressure
Six employees of AFIEGO in Uganda were detained for 72 hours last weekend, without formal charges being brought against them. The arrests are part of a worrying pattern of harassment and persecution of AFIEGO by Ugandan authorities.
Header photo by Zbynek Burival on Unsplash
Promote local ownership and governance of nature to reach climate and biodiversity targets
Local ownership and governance of biodiversity is crucial to achieve global and national biodiversity and climate targets. Therefore, the position and rights of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs) need to be valued, recognized and strengthened in the 2030 Global Biodiversity Framework and the climate convention (COP26) in Glasgow.
Header photo: Aerial view of forest © Michael Olsen for Unsplash
Biodiversity integration in the Dutch financial sector: Why it’s critical to be proactive and invest in nature
VBDO and IUCN NL surveyed five banks and 13 asset owners/asset managers headquartered in the Netherlands. Despite the Dutch Central Bank’s warning that financial institutions can be impacted financially when they fail to take sufficient action on biodiversity loss, only 28% of the surveyed Dutch financial institutions have started to assess the financial risks of biodiversity loss. None of them make use of scenario analysis for biodiversity loss to inform strategic risk management.
Header photo: monarch butterfly by James Wheeler on Unsplash
Guideline Note: Alternative Financing for Agroecology and Community-based Forest Management
Gaining recognition for territories conserved by Indigenous Peoples and local communities in the Philippines and Bolivia
Indigenous Peoples and local communities (IPLCs) play a central role in conserving and defending their territories. These Indigenous and Community Conserved Areas (ICCAs) are under increasing pressure, resulting in a global movement to gain recognition for the importance of these areas. IUCN NL’s partners in the Philippines and Bolivia are both active in this movement and are dealing with a lot of the same challenges to gain recognition for their land. Civil society organizations from the Philippines embarked on a learning exchange to Bolivia to learn about the situation of IPLCs in the country and their movement toward the recognition of ICCAs.
Header photo: © Erwin Mascarinas, NTFP-EP Philippines / IUCN NL
Including smallholders in EU action to protect and restore the world’s forests
In Mid-December 2021 the European Commission is due to release a regulatory proposal to minimise the European Union’s (EU) deforestation and forest degradation footprint. In advance of this draft proposal, six NGOs have come together to outline how the EU can ensure that the Regulation does not harm communities and smallholders (key actors in the production of forest and ecosystem risk commodities (FERCs)).
Beekeeping as a win-win solution around Virunga National Park
The Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo is one of the most biodiverse areas of flora and fauna in the world. However, the area in and around the park is also under pressure due to conflict, armed rebels, illegal activities and population growth. IUCN NL partner organization IDPE identified that a beekeeping cooperative and professional support have the potential to reduce deforestation and to support livelihoods of communities around the park.
Header photo by: Wolfgang Hasselmann on Unsplash
227 land and environmental activists murdered in 2020
As the climate crisis intensifies, violence against defenders of the earth is escalating. A Global Witness report released today reveals that 227 land and environmental activists were murdered in 2020 for defending their land and the planet. That constitutes the highest number ever recorded for a second consecutive year.
Header photo: © Andrew Ball / Panos / Global Witness