New Research: Indigenous Communities Reduce Amazon Deforestation by 83%”
Although #deforestation rates in the Brazilian #Amazon have halved, this globally critical biome is still losing more than 5,000km² every year. That’s an area three times larger than Greater London. By combining satellite imagery for the entire Amazon region with data from the Brazilian national census, our new study found that deforestation in areas protected by #Indigenous communities was up to 83% lower compared to unprotected areas.Results demonstrate that returning lands to Indigenous communities can be extremely effective at reducing deforestation and boosting #biodiversity to help address #climatechange. Yet, forest conservation should not come at an economic cost to people living in Indigenous-managed lands.
The world’s largest #rainforest the #Amazon 🫁🌳🌿 is vanishing. Yet a bright spark of hope finds #deforestation in #Indigenous protected areas is 83% lower. They are the KEY to saving the #forests and animals! #BoycottGold4Yanomami #Boycott4Wildlife https://wp.me/pcFhgU-8SM
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Written by Johan Oldekop, Reader in Environment and Development, University of Manchester; Bowy den Braber, Postdoctoral Researcher, School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield, and Marina Schmoeller, PhD Candidate, Ecology, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG)vThis article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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Despite this win for indigenous-led conservation, our results also show that Indigenous communities had the lowest levels of socioeconomic development. Incomes in Indigenous territories were up to 36% lower compared to other land uses.
Indigenous people are among the most disadvantaged groups of people in the world. Although Indigenous communities in Brazil have strengthened their political representation in recent years, 33% of people living below the poverty line are Indigenous.
Improving the economic wellbeing of Indigenous people is not only the socially just thing to do but can also be environmentally effective. Research in Nepal showed that communities with higher levels of socioeconomic development are less likely to trade off development with deforestation. Providing communities with the ability to protect and conserve their local forests and develop economically can be a win-win for both people and the environment.
In 2022, governments across the world agreed to protect 30% of the planet’s surface by 2030. To meet the commitments of this 30×30 agenda, many countries need to drastically increase their conservation efforts to reverse deforestation in the Amazon and beyond.
Governments and philanthropic organisations pledged unprecedented political and financial support for forests and Indigenous peoples and local communities at the 2021 COP26 climate summit in Glasgow. These pledges have helped raise the voices of Indigenous peoples and ushered in a new era of commitments to return ancestral lands.
Yet, forests and their resources across the world remain coveted by many different interest groups, including mining and large agribusiness. The Supreme Court in Brazil is currently debating the constitutional validity of the controversial “Marco Temporal” or time limit framework which could substantially limit the ability of Indigenous peoples across the country to make claims for lands. This legal theory states that Indigenous peoples are only entitled to make claims for lands if they can prove that they were in possession of them on or before October 5 1988 when the Brazilian constitution came into effect.
Perhaps surprisingly, our results show that agricultural business development of the Brazilian Amazon is unlikely to provide greater socioeconomic benefits for local, non-indigenous communities than protection-focused alternatives that preserve forest cover but allow sustainable resource use by rural communities. But the agribusiness lobby in Brazil, who are often in direct conflict with Indigenous people, often argues that agricultural expansion will provide economic development for the region.
Our results demonstrate that returning lands to Indigenous communities can be extremely effective at reducing deforestation and boosting biodiversity to help address climate change. Yet, forest conservation should not come at an economic cost to people living in Indigenous-managed lands.
Access to land and opportunity
Indigenous communities need to regain access to their ancestral lands while also gaining access to development opportunities. Indigenous people in Brazil are eligible to receive support from social welfare programmes, such as the family allowance scheme (or bolsa familia in Portuguese), which is credited with lifting millions of Brazilians out of poverty and reducing inequality.
Protesters hold placards expressing their opinion during the demonstration. The Marco Temporal thesis, indigenous, and supporters of the indigenous movement met in downtown Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in May 2023. ZUMA Press Inc / Alamy Stock Photo
However, many rural and isolated communities face substantial difficulties accessing support. For example, fuel costs to take long boat trips from remote communities to urban centres to collect payments are high and many communities lack access to technology to even apply for such schemes.
President Lula Da Silva’s government is considering developing an Indigenous family allowance programme to address access problems faced by Indigenous communities in Brazil. As efforts to return rights to land ramp up in the wake of the 30×30 agenda, more governments and nongovernmental organisations should support the many other rights that Indigenous peoples have and reduce the structural barriers that prevent rural communities from claiming them.
Written by Johan Oldekop, Reader in Environment and Development, University of Manchester; Bowy den Braber, Postdoctoral Researcher, School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield, and Marina Schmoeller, PhD Candidate, Ecology, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG)vThis article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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#Amazon #AmazonRainforest #biodiversity #BoycottGold #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottGold4Yanomami #Brazil #climatechange #deforestation #forests #humanRights #indigenous #IndigenousActivism #indigenousKnowledge #indigenousMedicine #indigenousRights #landRights #PalmOil #rainforest #Yanomami
Concerns Mount Over Palm Oil Expansion in Nagaland
Concerns Mount Over Palm Oil Expansion in Nagaland | The Nagaland Climate Change Adaptation Forum (NCCAF) has raised grave concerns about the environmental and social impacts of expanding palm oil plantations in the Indian region of Nagaland. They highlight potential deforestation, loss of biodiversity, and threats to indigenous livelihoods. Instead, they advocate for agroecological practices, less intensive crops and indigenous-led conservation in order to protect the Nagaland’s irreplacable ecosystems. #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife
#News: Forum in #Nagaland region of #India 🇮🇳 raises alarm over #palmoil expansion, citing huge risks to #biodiversity #climatechange and #indigenous livelihoods. #BoycottPalmOil 🌴🛢️🔥☠️🚫 #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-9Pw
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Nagaland Post. (2024, December 17). NCCAF raises concern over oil palm plantations. Retrieved from https://nagalandpost.com/index.php/2024/12/17/nccaf-raises-concern-over-oil-palm-plantations/
The Nagaland Climate Change Adaptation Forum (NCCAF) has expressed significant concerns regarding the expansion of palm oil plantations in Nagaland, India. They warn that such developments could lead to deforestation, loss of biodiversity, and adverse effects on indigenous communities’ livelihoods.
The forum highlights that large-scale palm oil plantations are often linked to widespread deforestation. Nagaland’s unique ecosystems, home to rare flora and fauna, face significant threats if forests are replaced with monoculture crops. Such deforestation could disrupt water cycles, increase soil erosion, and lead to habitat loss for local wildlife.
Additionally, the forum points to soil degradation and water depletion as critical issues. Palm oil farming is water-intensive, placing added pressure on local water resources already stretched by agricultural needs. The use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides further risks contaminating soil and harming nearby communities.
Social consequences are equally concerning. The acquisition of land for plantations could displace Indigenous communities that depend on traditional farming and forest-based livelihoods. This displacement threatens not only food security but also the cultural heritage tied to these lands.
The forum has also criticised the economic model behind palm oil expansion, describing it as exploitative. While corporate stakeholders profit, local farmers are often left in financial distress due to fluctuating palm oil prices and the long maturity period for crops.
As an alternative, the forum advocates for sustainable farming practices that align with Nagaland’s ecological and cultural heritage. It suggests exploring crops that are less resource-intensive and offer long-term environmental benefits.
The forum has emphasised the importance of involving Indigenous communities in land-use decisions. Transparent policymaking that respects local rights is crucial for achieving a balance between economic development and ecological preservation.
The Nagaland Climate Change Adaptation Forum calls on the government, environmentalists, and the public to critically evaluate the long-term consequences of palm oil expansion. By prioritising sustainable alternatives, Nagaland can safeguard its biodiversity while fostering economic growth.
For a detailed account, read the full article on Nagaland Post.
Nagaland Post. (2024, December 17). NCCAF raises concern over oil palm plantations. Retrieved from https://nagalandpost.com/index.php/2024/12/17/nccaf-raises-concern-over-oil-palm-plantations/
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Take Action in Five Ways
1. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife on social media and subscribe to stay in the loop: Share posts from this website to your own network on Twitter, Mastadon, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.
Enter your email address
Sign Up
Join 1,384 other subscribers
2. Contribute stories: Academics, conservationists, scientists, indigenous rights advocates and animal rights advocates working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals can contribute stories to the website.
Read more
Read more
Read more
Read more
Read more
Read more
3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.
https://twitter.com/CuriousApe4/status/1526136783557529600?s=20
https://twitter.com/PhillDixon1/status/1749010345555788144?s=20
https://twitter.com/mugabe139/status/1678027567977078784?s=20
4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.
5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here
Pledge your support
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