
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.

Burning in silence: Bolivia’s forest fires and its threat to global biodiversity
This year’s forest fires in Bolivia have reached devastating levels, threatening unique ecosystems, including the Chiquitano Dry Forest. Despite the scale of destruction —burning over 4 million hectares, displacing entire communities, and endangering biodiversity —these fires have received far less global attention compared to the Amazon fires of 2019. Thousands of people have been forced to relocate as their homes and livelihoods go up in flames, and the widespread loss of crops has triggered food and water shortages.

Human rights defender from the Philippines passed away
To our great dismay, we have learned that Romel (‘Mel’) Cardenas de Vera passed away unexpectedly last week. Mel was a well-known and respected human rights defender in the Philippines.

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.

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.