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For forest dependent communities, securing rights to forests and lands that they hold by tradition and customs is a prerequisite for local development. Introduced by the Congolese forest code for natural resources management, this ensures protection against expropriation with land titles issued by the provincial governor.

On December 1, 2020, the Brazilian space agency INPE announced that deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon had risen to a record level, the highest in 12 years. Beef production in Latin America is linked to deforestation. VBDO, IUCN NL and WWF NL provide recommendations for Dutch investors to prevent them from contributing to deforestation linked to cattle production through their investments.

Since the signing of the Paris Climate Agreement, rich countries have provided almost 50 times as much export support for fossil fuel related projects as for clean energy projects in four African countries.

Palm oil suppliers of biofuel producer Neste are responsible for the deforestation of at least 10,000 hectares since the beginning of 2019, according to research by Profundo, commissioned by Milieudefensie (Friends of the Earth Netherlands).

The Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime presents a podcast series called ‘Faces of Assassination’ to bear witness to the victims of organized crime. Liliana Jauregui, senior expert environmental justice at IUCN NL, shares her expertise in the episode of October 22, which discusses the role of environmental defenders, why they are being targeted, what is being done right now to combat it, and what can be done to make further change going forward.

Communities, activists and civil society organizations (CSOs) in Uganda and the DRC are resisting oil and gas activities in sensitive areas. These vital ecosystems provide a habitat for wildlife and livelihoods for local communities. Through building a strong movement, the CSOs hope to stop oil exploration and initiate a just energy transition.

Over the last couple of decades, many governments have formalized the forest rights of local communities and indigenous peoples, with the expectation that this would contribute to both conservation and sustainable development. With forest tenure reforms underway, this is a good time to reflect on the experiences so far: Have these reforms led to the desired outcomes? And, what are the conditions for success?

Numerous studies show that safeguarding parts of the forest by creating isolated Protected Areas, while vital for immediate conservation, is not a sufficient measure to guarantee the integrity of ecosystems. So how to protect the world’s best preserved continuous tropical forest?

With around 4.3 million hectares of lowland tropical forest, Liberia is the most forested country in West Africa. Liberia’s forestry sector contributes significantly to the national economy. Moreover, about one-third of the population lives in forested areas, many of whom depend on forests for their livelihoods. The government has developed a legal framework, which recognises customary rights of local communities to access and manage forests. Crucial in this has been the Community Rights Law of 2009.