False "Solutions" to Climate Change Condemned at the UNFCCC

Bali Forest Outcomes Trample Indigenous Peoples' & Local Communities' Rights
False "Solutions" to Climate Change Condemned at the UNFCCC
Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia-As the UN Framework Convention on Climate
Change ends, Global Forest Coalition [1] expresses great concern that
market-based mechanisms promoted here do not give enough guarantees
to indigenous peoples and forest dependent peoples to ensure their
rights.
Global Forest Coalition's Managing Coordinator, Simone Lovera stated,
"The outcomes of the forest negotiations here in Bali do not include
any guarantee that the rights of Indigenous Peoples and local
communities regarding their forests, which have been enshrined in the
UN Declaration on the rights of Indigenous Peoples, will be
respected. Instead, this entire process is dominated by the corporate
interests of logging, soy and palmoil companies that have started to
demand compensation for every tree they don't cut down. Carbon offset
projects financing such compensation schemes do not contribute
anything to mitigating climate change, they are no more than a
convenient lie to subsidize some of the most destructive industries
on earth. Considering the crisis we are in, carbon offsets are
unacceptable: We desperately need both forest conservation AND
policies that cut emissions at source."
"Indigenous peoples and women are the traditional caretakers of the
forest," said Anne Petermann, Co-director of Global Justice Ecology
Project. [2] "The fact that they are being ignored and excluded in
this process is typifying for the way in which we are moving in the
wrong direction."
The International Forum of Indigenous Peoples on Climate Change,
expressed their profound concern in a statement read inside the
UNFCCC about Reducing Emissions from Deforestation in Developing
Countries (REDD) [3]:
"REDD will not benefit Indigenous Peoples, but in fact, will result
in more violations of Indigenous Peoples' Rights. It will increase
the violation of our Human Rights, our rights to our lands,
territories and resources, steal our land, cause forced evictions,
prevent access and threaten indigenous agriculture practices, destroy
biodiversity and culture diversity and cause social conflicts. Under
REDD, States and Carbon Traders will take more control over our
forests."
Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, Chair of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous
Issues added, "It is countries in the North that have caused the
climate problem and now they are promoting projects like agrofuels
[4] to supposedly address this problem, the impacts of which will be
shouldered by the countries and indigenous peoples of the South."
"To worsen matters, World Bank President Robert Zoellick announced
their latest scheme called the Forest Carbon Partnership
Facility,"[5] stated Dr. Miguel Lovera, Chairperson for the Global
Forest Coalition. "They are going to use the failed model of carbon
trading to supposedly protect forests, but just like agrofuels, the
Forest Carbon Partnership Facility is going to exacerbate
deforestation at a faster rate, worsen human rights abuses and do
nothing for the climate but make it less inhabitable," he said.
Contacts:
Dr. Miguel Lovera (Spanish, English, French, Portuguese, Dutch and
Italian) +595-21-663654
Hubertus Samangun (Bahasa and English) +62 813 10778918
Anne Petermann (English) +62 813 38918437
Notes:
[1] The Global Forest Coalition is a worldwide network of
non-governmental organizations and Indigenous Peoples Organizations
that promotes effective rights-based forest conservation policies.
See http://www.globalforestcoalition.org for more information.
[2] Global Justice Ecology Project takes action to address the common
root causes of social injustice, economic domination and
environmental destruction. GJEP is the North American Focal Point of
the Global Forest Coalition. See http://globaljusticeecology.org/
[3] The term 'agrofuels' is a more accurate label for the production
of fuel from industrially produced agricultural crops (and is also
used by the FAO). The term 'biofuels' gives a false impression that
these fuels are environmentally friendly, when they are in fact
environmentally and socially destructive.
In a 4 December press conference, Global Forest Coalition and Global
Justice Ecology Project [released the advance copy of a major new
report that reveals the social and ecological impacts of large-scale
production of agrofuels. The True Cost of Agrofuels: Food, Forests
and the Climate [specifically details the threats on forests and
forest-dependent people that are resulting or are predicted to result
from the production of agrofuels from food, oil and cellulose crops.
The report is available online (English version)
http://www.globalforestcoalition.org/img/userpics/File/publications/Therealcostofagrofuels.pdf
and (Spanish)
http://www.globalforestcoalition.org/img/userpics/File/Spanish/Elverdadocostodelosagrocombustibles.pdf
[4] Statement from the International Forum of Indigenous Peoples on
Climate Change (IFIPCC) at the 13th Session of Conference of the
Parties to the UNFCCC--SBSTA 27, concerning agenda item 5/REDD. See
www.globalforestcoalition.org
[5] The Forest Carbon Partnership Facility is the World Bank folding
the carbon storage potential of forests into their carbon trading
scheme as another way to avoid emissions reductions from polluter
countries.
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PRESS RELEASE
What's missing from the climate talks? Justice!
BALI (INDONESIA), 14 December 2007 - Peoples from social organizations and
movements from across the globe brought the fight for social, ecological
and gender justice into the negotiating rooms and onto the streets during
the UN climate summit in Bali. [1]
Inside and outside the convention centre, activists demanded alternative
policies and practices that protect livelihoods and the environment.
In dozens of side events, reports, impromptu protests and press
conferences, the false solutions to climate change - such as carbon
offsetting, carbon trading for forests, agrofuels, trade liberalization
and privatization pushed by governments, financial institutions and
multinational corporations - have been exposed.
Affected communities, Indigenous Peoples, women and peasant farmers called
for real solutions to the climate crisis, solutions which have failed to
capture the attention of political leaders. These genuine solutions
include:
* reduced consumption.
* huge financial transfers from North to South based on historical
responsibility and ecological debt for adaptation and mitigation costs
paid for by redirecting military budgets, innovative taxes and debt
cancellation.
* leaving fossil fuels in the ground and investing in appropriate
energy-efficiency and safe, clean and community-led renewable energy.
* rights based resource conservation that enforces Indigenous land
rights and promotes peoples' sovereignty over energy, forests, land and
water.
* sustainable family farming and peoples' food sovereignty.
Inside the negotiations, the rich industrialized countries have put
unjustifiable pressure on Southern governments to commit to emissions'
reductions. At the same time, they have refused to live up to their own
legal and moral obligations to radically cut emissions and support
developing countries' efforts to reduce emissions and adapt to climate
impacts. Once again, the majority world is being forced to pay for the
excesses of the minority.
Compared to the outcomes of the official negotiations, the major success
of Bali is the momentum that has been built towards creating a diverse,
global movement for climate justice.
We will take our struggle forward not just in the talks, but on the ground
and in the streets - Climate Justice Now!
Notes
[1] Many social movements and groups that came together in Bali have
agreed to establish a coalition called Climate Justice Now! in order to
enhance exchange of information and cooperation among themselves and with
other groups with the aim of intensifying actions to prevent and respond
to climate change. Justice must be at the heart of tackling climate
change, and must in no way be sacrificed.
Members of this coalition include: Carbon Trade Watch, Transnational
Institute; Center for Environmental Concerns; Focus on the Global South;
Freedom from Debt Coalition, Philippines; Friends of the Earth
International; Gendercc - Women for Climate Justice, Global Forest
Coalition; Global Justice Ecology Project; International Forum on
Globalization; Kalikasan-Peoples Network for the Environment
(Kalikasan-PNE); La Via Campesina; Members of the Durban Group for Climate
Justice; Oilwatch; Pacific Indigenous Peoples Environment Coalition,
Aotearoa/New Zealand; Sustainable Energy and Economy Network; The
Indigenous Environmental Network; Third World Network; WALHI/ Friends of
the Earth Indonesia; World Rainforest Movement