Read news on rights and tenure

- View Recent

Archived Postings

News from RRI »

RRI supports Indigenous Voices at World Conservation Congress

In an RRI supported activity, the Forest Peoples Programme (FPP) and the Amazon Alliance are working in collaboration this week at the World Conservation Congress to draw attention to the crucial role of indigenous rights in combating climate change and promoting conservation. The event has brought together the voices of representatives from the Amazon Basin, the DRC and Indonesia, to provide visibility to the grassroots dynamics of climate change and conservation initiatives for indigenous peoples.

 

Tony James, President of the Amerindian Peoples Association, described the increasing pressures over forest lands and the lack of meaningful integration of indigenous voices into policy processes:

“We are already under growing pressure from climate change, from conservationists who want to prevent us from using our forest lands for economic purposes, and from businesses that have government concessions to extract ore, water and biofuel from lands that have been ours for generations. Recently we have been hearing more and more about the carbon trade, but indigenous people are not being included in the discussions. We want to know: who will own the carbon? What will be the impact on us?”

A Forest Peoples Programme report reflected similar concerns this week, citing limited progress towards the pledges made to respect indigenous rights in the 2003 Durban Accords.

“The World Parks Congress, held in Durban five years ago, called for all members to respect indigenous peoples’ human and property rights and to usher in a “new paradigm” of conservation, yet that has not happened,” said Marcus Colchester, Director of the Forest Peoples Programme (FPP).

The delegates present in Barcelona will participate in a panel event to present their experiences with these initiatives on October 8th. For more information click here, or contact us.

 

To view a copy of the press release issued today, please click here.


See the links below for media coverage on RRI related activities this week at the Congress:


English:

Rainforest Dwellers Caught Between Business, Green Groups


Consensus Takes Form on Forests and Climate Change


Spanish:

Los indigenas se rebelan contra el proteccionismo excluyente de los paises ricos


Cambio Climatico Fomenta Propogacion Enfermedades y Amenaza a Latinoamerica


Entidades forestales apuestan por el "enorme potencial" de los bosques para mitigar los efectos del cambio climático


Rebelión indígena contra la 'venta' de bosques tropicales por derechos de emisión de carbono


Los indígenas exigen participar en la conservación del planeta


Portuguese:

Indígenas exigem participar mais na protecção da floresta


índios reivindicam mais participação nas decisões sobre a Amazônia


Incentivos para preservação são falhos, dizem liderança


Povos da floresta querem participar de decisões sobre REDD

Japanese:
ほ乳類4分の1が絶滅の危機 [http://www.nhk.or.jp/news/k10014571731000.html]





 

 

Posted By Andrew Davis at 3:16pm on October 07, 2008


Comments: 0 [+add comment]
Add Comment

Your Name

 


Type in the letters to the left

 

 

This blog may contain links to external websites. These links should not be construed as endorsements by Rights and Resources of the content present. They are provided for informational purposes only.