Land grabbing: the new tragedy of the commons
A contributed article written for Just Conservation by environmental journalist and writer Fred Pearce
Themes: Conservation, Human rights, Parks, Indigenous people
"Poor rural Africa is one of the last great unfenced areas of the planet, where humans and wildlife still often live side by side. The World Bank calls the four million square kilometres of savannah grasslands in Africa, between the rainforest and the deserts, “the world’s last large reserve of underused land".
The model for what the World Bank thinks should happen to the African savannah is to be found in Brazil – in the cerrado, a huge region of grassland and bush that rings the Amazon. Thirty years ago, it was largely empty, probably the most biodiverse grassland in the world. Now it is being gobbled up faster than the Amazon."
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Jul 11, 2012
WHY EVICT?
A personal appeal against tribal evictions in India by Kusum Karnik
Themes: Conservation, Human rights, Indigenous people, Parks
"Our country seems to be divided into two blocks having very different views regarding the tribals and their culture. I have visited number of forest areas especially the national parks including all the seven parks taken under the GEF-India Eco Development Project and some others as well; and I am of the opinion that if the forest dwellers are taken into confidence they would prove to be great asset in conserving the forest and wild life."
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Jul 01, 2012
INDIGENOUS PEOPLES GLOBAL CONFERENCE ON RIO+20 AND MOTHER EARTH
The Green Economy is nothing more than capitalism of nature;..
Themes: Human rights, Indigenous people, REDD
"We continue to inhabit and maintain the last remaining sustainable ecosystems and biodiversity hotspots in the world. We can contribute substantially to sustainable development but we believe that a holistic ecosystem framework for sustainable development should be promoted. This includes the integration of the human-rights based approach, ecosystem approach and culturally sensitive and knowledge-based approaches."
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Jun 23, 2012
Help the Ogiek to regain their ancestral lands at Chepkitale, Mount Elgon in Kenya - Request for Donations
The Ogiek of Mount Elgon, Kenya, are on the verge of reaching a legal agreement that will have their ancestral lands returned to them. However, they urgently need financial help (around £5,000) in order to make these last steps possible.
Themes: Human rights, Indigenous people, Parks, Poverty
This is an extraordinary opportunity for them to regain their land and continue their sustainable livelihoods, an extraordinary opportunity for them to gain legal recognition so that they are no longer threatened with eviction. This cash is needed to support them in what we hope will be the final push to ensure their right to their land is legally recognised.
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Jun 21, 2012
TAMIL NADU - Gram sabhas oppose creation of the Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve
The WLPA stipulates that approval from the gram sabha is essential before tiger reserve status is awarded to a reserve forest area.
Themes: Conservation, Human rights, Parks
Before local communities are asked to shift out of a reserved area, authorities are required to seek the opinion of the gram sabha on whether it believes the people can co-exist with the wildlife. Also, relocation packages and compensation plans have to be approved by the gram sabha, which has the right to reject proposals of the government.
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Jun 14, 2012
Fortress Conservation versus Human Rights in the Indian Ocean
‘the Chagossian people have suffered, and continue to suffer, a huge violation of their human rights....'
Themes: Human rights, Indigenous people, Parks
According to confidential UK-US diplomatic correspondence disclosed by Wikileaks in December 2010, the ulterior motive for the establishment of a ‘no-take’ BIOT marine reserve by the UK Foreign Office – anticipating the outcome of the litigation – was ‘to prevent any of the Chagos Islands’ former inhabitants or their descendants from resettling in the BIOT (British Indian Ocean Territories)’.
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Jun 13, 2012
Fortress Conservation has a strong advocate in India
‘Relocation of people needs to be done because people are the root cause of loss to bio-diversity today’
Themes: Conservation, Parks, Human rights
Jhala wanted to become a zookeeper as a child. He pursued that interest by studying zoology and now heads the Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology department at the Wildlife Institute of India in Dehradun. Jhala is known for his extensive research on tigers, Asiatic lions, wolves, striped hyenas and Indian fox. He tells Prakhar Jain that poaching of animals as well as their prey are the biggest challenges facing conservationists
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Jun 08, 2012
Greenpeace should not choose green over peace
The organisation's support of a marine reserve in the Chagos islands displays a lack of regard for islanders wanting to return
Themes: Conservation, Human rights, Parks
"...Greenpeace seems to have mislaid the "peace" half of its mission. That has been evident for some time to anyone reading its current programme and priorities on its website. This grand drift was on show again at a conference organised by Amnesty International in Oxford last week, where Greenpeace International's executive director, Kumi Naidoo – a man with a proud record of anti-apartheid campaigning – was to talk about human rights and protection of the environment."
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May 19, 2012
