Ten of the worst REDD-type projects

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Ten of the worst REDD-type projects

A recently released booklet, “No REDD Papers, Volume 1” (pdf file 2.5 MB), includes a list of 10 of the worst REDD-type projects affecting indigenous peoples. The booklet was produced by Carbon Trade Watch, Global Justice Ecology Project, Indigenous Environmental Network, Justseeds Artists’ Cooperative and Timberwatch Coalition.

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Can REDD save Papua New Guinea’s forests?

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Can REDD save the forests of Papua New Guinea?

Earlier this week, Greenpeace activists blockaded a Chinese logging ship, the Fu Tian, that was exporting timber from Papua New Guinea. The ship was docked near the village of West Pomio, where villagers are protesting the operations of Malaysian logging company Rimbunan Hijau and its subsidiary, Gilford Limited.

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“Recognise the rights of indigenous peoples”: New briefing series on REDD+ in Indonesia from Forest Peoples Programme

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Recognise the rights of indigenous peoples: New briefing series on REDD+ in Indonesia from Forest Peoples Programme

Last week, Forest Peoples Programme, together with local partners released a series of briefings about REDD in Indonesia. Five briefings look at REDD developments Aceh, Riau, Central Kalimantan, Central Sulawesi, Papua and West Papua and a sixth looks at REDD at the national level.

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Villagers respond to REDD in West Kalimantan: “We need to be recognized as legitimate carbon owners”

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Last year, Sébastien de Royer spent six weeks in two Dayak communities in West Kalimantan researching his MSc thesis. Based on this research, he concludes that “secure tenure is a key underlying issue for REDD in order to limit risk for local communities”.

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President Yudhoyono promises to dedicate the next three years to protecting Indonesia’s forests

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Yesterday, Indonesia’s President, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, promised that he would “dedicate the last three years of my term as President to deliver enduring results that will sustain and enhance the environment and forests of Indonesia”.

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A very different kind of Walt Disney production: Conservation International’s REDD project in the Democratic Republic of Congo

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A very different kind of Walt Disney production: Conservation International's REDD project in the Democratic Republic of Congo

“We believe that the current situation demonstrates more than ever the need to pursue other paths beyond REDD+.” This is from this month’s issue of the World Rainforest Movement Bulletin, which focusses on REDD. The first article in the Bulletin asks “Can REDD+ be ‘fixed’?”, the answer to which is somewhat given away by the next article: “The ‘sins’ of the REDD+ approach”.

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“Bikpela bagarap”: New film about destructive logging in Papua New Guinea

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Bikpela bagarap: New film about destructive logging in Papua New Guinea

A new film produced by David Fedele documents the destruction caused by the logging industry in Sandaun Province, in Northwest Papua New Guinea. The film documents the social and environmental impacts of the logging. The Malaysian logging company, WTK Realty, makes large profits from the logging, but leaves serious problems for the local community.

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Villagers detained for handing out leaflets about Prey Lang forest in Cambodia

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Villagers detained for handing out leaflets about Prey Lang forest in Cambodia

Earlier this week, around 300 members of the Prey Lang network gathered outside the Royal Palace in Cambodia’s capital Phnom Penh to pray for the protection of the Prey Lang forest – the largest area of intact lowland evergreen forest remaining in southeast Asia. The forest is under severe threat, particularly from a series of large-scale rubber concessions.

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A “carbon cowboy”, internet censorship and REDD-Monitor

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Recently, an Australian businessman, visited Peru and attempted to set up a REDD-type deal with the indigenous Matsés people. The Matsés rejected his approach and AIDESEP (Inter-Ethnic Association for the Development of the Peruvian Amazon) demanded his expulsion from Peru. REDD-Monitor has (so far) written two posts about this story.

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“Carbon cowboy” [CENSORED] denounces indigenous chief in Peru

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Carbon cowboy [CENSORED] denounces indigenous chief in Peru

Earlier this year, the Matsés indigenous people rejected Australian businessman censored‘s offer of billions of dollars in return for handing over the rights to the carbon stored in their forests. Apparently in retaliation, censored has now filed a criminal complaint against the Matsés chief of the community of Estiron, Daniel Jiménez.

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Another statement about the Kalimantan Forests and Climate Partnership. Previous statement “not true”

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In June 2011, REDD-Monitor posted a statement signed by indigenous people in Kapuas District in Central Kalimantan demanding that the Australia-Indonesia Kalimantan Forests and Climate Partnership be stopped in indigenous peoples’ land. Recently REDD-Monitor received an email from the chairman of the Council of Indigenous Dayak (Dewan Adat Dayak – DAD) in Kapuas district, Central Kalimantan.

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At last! Norwegian government responds to the Open Letter outlining eight problems with Norway’s REDD support to Guyana

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The quantity of timber being exported from Guyana has risen strongly since the signing of the MoU between Guyana and Norway

On 10 June 2011, the Norwegian government responded to the Open Letter sent on 24 March 2011. While the Open Letter raised eight problems with Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy, the vast majority of the discussion generated by the letter focussed on the signatories to the letter rather than the problems they were raising.

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Indigenous Peoples’ organisation demands “immediate moratorium” on REDD+ in Central Kalimantan

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Indigenous Peoples' organisation demands

Members of the Indigenous Peoples’ Alliance of the Archipelago – Central Kalimantan Chapter (AMAN Kalteng) have issued a statement demaning an “immediate moratorium of all REDD+ processes and investments in Central Kalimantan”, until a series of conditions are met. AMAN Kelteng’s statement can be downloaded here (pdf file 72.1 KB) and is posted in full, below.

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Two new Carbon Trade Watch factsheets: Key arguments against REDD+ and Some key REDD+ actors

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Two new Carbon Trade Watch factsheets: Key arguments against REDD+ and Some key REDD+ actors

Last week, Carbon Trade Watch released two new factsheets: “Key arguments against REDD+”, and “Some Key REDD+ Players”. Be warned: you are in for a rocky ride if you belong to the camp that believes that REDD is the best hope for saving the rainforests, that safeguards will protect indigenous peoples’ rights and that carbon trading is the only way of raising sufficient funding for REDD.

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“Stop the Indonesia-Australia REDD+ project”: Indigenous Peoples’ opposition to the Kalimantan Forests and Climate Partnership

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Stop the Indonesia-Australia REDD+ project: Indigenous Peoples' opposition to the Kalimantan Forests and Climate Partnership

When Australia announced the Kalimantan Forests and Climate Partnership, in September 2007, Australia’s then-Minister for Foreign Affairs Alexander Downer said that the project, “was an example of practical climate change action that could deliver immediate and tangible benefits”. What he didn’t say was who would get those benefits.

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