A new report by the Oakland Institute introduces the term “carbon violence” to describe the impact of Green Resources’ plantation operations in Uganda on local communities and their environment. Green Resources is a Norwegian-registered plantation company with 41,000 hectares of plantations in Africa, in Mozambique, Tanzania and Uganda.
What next? Brazil’s deforestation soared by 290% in September 2014
Between 2004 and 2012, deforestation rates fell in Brazil. Dramatically. But then in 2013, the rate increased by 29%. And in August and September this year, the rate shot up by 190% compared to the same period last year.
Pinnacle Green Resources’ plans for Guyana: Green development or a land grab?
A company called Pinnacle Green Resources (Guyana) Limited is planning to develop bioenergy plantations and a biomass plant in Guyana. Is this green development? Or a land grab?
Can REDD save the Areng Valley in Cambodia?
The Areng Valley in southwest Cambodia has been home to the Chong indigenous people for more than 600 years. The area is also home to elephants, pileated gibbons, clouded leopards, and is one of the most important breeding sites for the endangered Siamese crocodile. But a proposed dam threatens the river, the forests and its…
UPDATE: Indonesia’s new president Jokowi merges Environment and Forestry Ministries
On 20 October 2014, Indonesia inaugurated its new president: Joko “Jokowi” Widodo. The following day, Jokowi wrote to the House of Representatives with a list of proposed changes to ministries. Jokowi is proposing merging the Environment Ministry and the Forestry Ministry.