Timber plantations in southern Africa are concentrated in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Swaziland, but they are also expanding in Mozambique. There are smaller areas in Angola, Zambia, Malawi and Tanzania. In South Africa, the largest areas are in the provinces of Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape, covering 1.5 million hectares of land. Additionally, an estimated 1.6 million hectares have been invaded by plantation species such as acacias (wattle), eucalyptus (gum) and pines.
The Green Economy
The Green Economy is a tactic used to “clean up” the image of corporations rather than address corporate capture and capitalism as the true drivers of deforestation. False solutions promoted under the Green Economy include certification, sustainable forest management, ecosystem services, REDD+, the bioeconomy, nature-based climate solutions, and zero net deforestation. Rather than stopping it, these “solutions” support corporate-driven destruction that is causing a deep social and ecological crisis.
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15 December 2008
Since 2006 the small landlocked South East Asian nation of Laos has seen an explosion of small, large and medium scale plantations, particularly rubber, eucalyptus and biofuel crops. This increase in industrial tree plantations has not come about by itself however, but has been promoted by IFI's over the past decade as a means to increase Lao GDP. Foremost among the promoters of plantations development in Laos is the Asian Development Bank.
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15 December 2008
In December 2005, Burma's Senior General Than Shwe ordered the start of a nation-wide campaign to plant Jatropha curcas for
biodiesel production. The country was to plant eight million acres [3.2 million hectares], or an area the size of Belgium, within three years. Each of Burma's states and divisions, regardless of size, were expected to plant at least 500,000 acres. In Rangoon Division, 20% of all available land will be covered by jatropha.
Action alerts
11 December 2008
For Immediate Release 11 December 2008
Poznan, Poland (UN Climate Conference)--Global Forest Coalition, The Wilderness Society, World Rainforest Movement, Global Justice Ecology Project, Via Campesina, the International Youth Delegation and the STOP GE Trees Campaign united today to challenge the UN/REDD definition of forests.
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10 December 2008
Prepared by the Task Force on Communities and REDD of the Commission on Environmental, Economic and Social Policy of IUCN in collaboration with the Global Forest Coalition. It is based on some of the best analysis produced by CEESP members on REDD, rights and equity, and the importance of Indigenous Territories and Community Conserved Areas (ICCAs), and the GFC Life as Commerce report.
Other information
6 December 2008
Poznan, December 6. GenderCC, a worldwide network whose main objective is to integrate gender justice in climate change policy at local, national and international levels, has submitted today to the Secretariat of the UNFCC and is distributing to the delegates, the following document containing the main points the network believes should be taken into account in the Assembly document.
Bulletin articles
25 November 2008
In Colombia the State resorts to criminalizing social and grass-roots organizations as a method of repression aimed at imposing by force the global market’s agribusiness, large scale infrastructure works and the extraction of natural resources involving high human, social and environmental costs.
Publications
17 November 2008
WRM contribution to the Convention on Climate Change
Forests, everyone knows, are good for the climate – which makes it all the more important that governments and international community should work to protect them. But many current efforts to link forest conservation with climate change mitigation are sadly confused. It is important that parties to the UN Convention on Climate Change understand why.
Publications
15 November 2008
Being “carbon neutral” has become fashionable. The World Bank, the Vatican, the World Olympics, the Football World Cup, the Body Shop, the Rolling Stones, and a long list of celebrities proclaim themselves to be totally or partially “carbon neutral”. Even Mercedes Benz held in California what was described as “the world’s first ever carbon neutral fashion week”! It is therefore understandable that the New Oxford American Dictionary proclaimed "carbon neutral" as its Word of the Year in 2006.
Action alerts
3 November 2008
WRM Press Release on Open Letter to FSC Members -
The General Assembly of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is meeting in Cape Town, South Africa, from 3-7 November. Coinciding with the opening of the event, an open letter is being distributed to FSC members, calling on the FSC “to urgently resolve the serious problem of FSC certification of monoculture tree plantations.”
Other information
3 November 2008
From Green Ideals to REDD money. A brief history of schemes to save forests for their carbon.
November 2008, 6 pages. A short overview of latest developments with some basic conclusions and recommendations
An overview of selected REDD proposals.
Action alerts
1 November 2008
November 3-7, 2008 - Cape Town, South Africa
The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) will be holding its general assembly on November 3-7 in Cape Town, South Africa. Given that the FSC is still providing its certification label to large-scale tree monocultures in spite of the abundant evidence proving their serious social and environmental impacts, a number of organizations are urging the FSC to stop certifying tree plantations.