A “global land grab” created by rapidly growing demand for food and wood could have big implications for the world’s forests and the people that live in them, a new report says.
The Rights and Resources report, launched at the UK House of Commons, examines the shifts in forest tenure around the world and highlight the critical role of rights recognition in addressing poverty, conflict and climate change.
It says recognising and strengthening the property and human rights of forest-dwelling indigenous people and other local communities “is the first and most important step” towards averting the social and environmental disasters of a global land grab.
It also highlighted “tremendous scope” for investments aimed at mitigating and adapting to climate change, strengthening local land rights, protect remaining natural forests and restoring degraded forest areas.
