Forests and Climate Change

Wilmar’s No Deforestation policy tested by latest abuses by PT Asiatic Persada

20 Dec, 2013

(cross-posted) Jakarta, December 17, 2013 – The indigenous Suku Anak Dalam (SAD) community of Bungo, in Jambi, Indonesia has struggled for 27 years to regain control of their territory from the palm oil company PT. Asiatic Persada (PT AP). They achieved success in October when the Jambi Regional Office of the National Land Agency (BPN) and the governor of Jambi recommended that the BPN Indonesia in Jakarta review the company’s concession permit.[1] But SAD’s dream of having their 3,550 hectares returned was …

Read in full ›

WTO’s Midnight Deal is its last-ditch attempt to salvage itself, says IPA

11 Dec, 2013

(cross-posted CJN) The Indonesian People’s Alliance (IPA) condemns in the strongest possible terms the World Trade Organization (WTO) for railroading the Bali Package as a midnight deal in a desperate attempt to…

Read in full ›

INDONESIA AND INDIA; LEAD THE G-33 IN DEFENDING THE SOUTH

5 Dec, 2013

(cross-posted from Focus on the Global South) Bali, 5 December 2013 As developed countries intensify political pressure at the 9th WTO Ministerial Meeting in Bali and blame India for the stalemate…

Read in full ›

A Pathetic REDD Package

4 Dec, 2013

On 12 November 2013, the Global Forest Coalition made the following intervention during the negotiations in Warsaw on methodologies to Reduce Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation and enhance forest…

Read in full ›

African peasants reject corporate seed laws and assault on peasant seeds and food sovereignty

28 Nov, 2013

That La Via Campesina (LVC) is now established and active in Zimbabwe is extremely good news. This has positive implications for supporting African peoples’ struggles to preserve and to protect local community autonomy…

Read in full ›

Moving forward from the climate negotiation madness in Warsaw

25 Nov, 2013

(cross-posted from Focus on the Global South) Since the beginning there was almost no expectations on the 19th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP19) of the United Nations…

Read in full ›

NGOs, SOCIAL MOVEMENTS WALK OUT OF WARSAW TALKS

21 Nov, 2013

The Warsaw Climate Conference, which should have been an important step in the just transition to a sustainable future, is on track to deliver virtually nothing. In fact, the actions…

Read in full ›

New Report: REDD+ Does Not Address Underlying Causes of Forest Loss

13 Nov, 2013

Warsaw, Poland –A new report released by the Global Forest Coalition [1] today at the 19th UN Climate Conference concludes that projects and policies related to REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from…

Read in full ›

Warsaw must turn its back on corporate interests and their push for failed carbon markets

12 Nov, 2013

(cross-posted from http://corporateeurope.org) Warsaw, 12th November 2013 Civil society calls out the EU’s attempt to push more of the same failed carbon markets favoured by the biggest polluters, and urges countries to…

Read in full ›

The ENIGMA that is WORLD TOURISM

29 Oct, 2013

On 27th September, “WORLD TOURISM DAY” the CBD Secretariat issued a statement by the Executive Secretary, Braulio Ferreira de Souza Dias, which began as follows: “In spite of lingering economic…

Read in full ›

Wood Bioenergy: Green Land Grabs for Renewable Energy

17 Oct, 2013

Montreal, Canada– Today, at a meeting of the Convention on Biodiversity[1], Global Forest Coalition[2] and Biofuelwatch[3] will launch a new report highlighting the impacts of expanding use of wood for generating…

Read in full ›

Intervention by the Global Forest Coalition at SBSTTA-17

15 Oct, 2013

We appreciate Valerie Hickey’s remarks about mainstreaming biodiversity, including in the process to develop a truly sustainable post-2015 development agenda. As core member of the Women’s Major Group the Global…

Read in full ›

Why was the world’s biggest biomass power station closed down – and what does this mean for forests?

25 Sep, 2013

Background to Tilbury B: On 13th August, Tilbury B, so far the world’s biggest biomass power station commissioned so far, was shut down for good.  It is sited along the…

Read in full ›

Brief comments on two recent articles: 1. Editorial: Meeting global challenges in forestry / 2. The World (Fake) Forestry Congress

24 Sep, 2013

Here (below) are two articles from the latest FAO (Food and Agriculture Organisation) ‘Forestry News’ for your interest. The first article quotes Tiina Vähänen, currently REDD Coordinator at the FAO, and formerly…

Read in full ›

International Day of Action Targets Monoculture Tree Plantations – Ban on Genetically Engineered Trees Demanded

20 Sep, 2013

New York, US –  On 21 September, the International Day of Action against Monoculture Tree Plantations [1], organizations, forest dependent communities, and Indigenous Peoples from around the globe will denounce…

Read in full ›

Declaración: Para hacer frente a la emergencia climática debemos desmantelar la OMC y el régimen de libre comercio

9 Sep, 2013

La Organización Mundial del Comercio (OMC) fue establecida en 1995 para completar el trío de Bretton Woods, con el Banco Mundial y el Fondo Monetario Internacional, para la promoción del…

Read in full ›

STATEMENT: To confront the climate emergency we need to dismantle the WTO and the free trade regime

9 Sep, 2013

Launched in 1995, the World Trade Organization (WTO) completed the Bretton Woods trio with the World Bank, and the International Monetary Fund in promoting neoliberalism and corporate globalization. The WTO…

Read in full ›