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Forest Cover 59: Bioenergy in West Africa – impacts on women and forests
In this issue of the Global forest Coalition's magazine Forest Cover we explore the full spectrum of bioenergy developments and use in West Africa and how they are impacting women and forests. The articles cover bioenergy in its very large-scale, requiring huge areas of land to provide the raw materials, to the ubiquitous and time-old household and community-scale, where wood is collected mainly by women to meet domestic energy needs. Examples from six West African countries and a critical look at finance for bioenergy developments analyze the following: traditional forest biomass use (and whether improved cookstoves should receive climate finance), biomass power stations for electricity, biofuel power stations that burn ethanol derived from food crops such as cassava, and biogas produced through the fermentation of agricultural wastes. All operate on different scales and have varying impacts but, importantly, the articles focus on gender-differentiated impacts as an often under-represented dimension in the bioenergy [...]
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“They are only interested in soy”: how peasant and indigenous women in Paraguay are organising to survive the twin threats of industrial agriculture and climate change Gallery“They are only interested in soy”: how peasant and indigenous women in Paraguay are organising to survive the twin threats of industrial agriculture and climate change
“They are only interested in soy”: how peasant and indigenous women in Paraguay are organising to survive the twin threats of industrial agriculture and climate change
This photo essay was originally published in the Ecologist Devastating fires across South America’s fragile forests have put the spotlight on the impacts of a growing and emboldened livestock and feedstock sector, which is hungry for land and unburdened by legislation or law enforcement. The Chaco forests in western Paraguay have been particularly badly hit by deforestation and fires, as cattle ranchers expand their pastures. Eastern Paraguay, on the other hand, has already been largely cleared of its forests, which were burned over recent decades to clear land for agribusiness. There, 94% of arable land is used for cultivating genetically-modified monocultures, primarily soy, which is exported as animal feed. Peasant and indigenous communities are caught between a state-sponsored agribusiness industry that steals land and poisons the air, soil and water, and a climate emergency that puts even more pressure on their already fragile ability to feed themselves. With minimal external support but [...]
WEBINAR: info session on the Gender Just Climate Solutions award
When: 4 September 2019, 15:00-16:00 CEST Where: online Translations: English, French, Spanish Register: https://portal.voiceboxer.com/events/k42vba/register?blm_aid=59428 The Women and Gender Constituency, a coalition of women’s rights and gender organizations working together at the UN climate negotiations, invites you to this information session for an overview on the 5th Annual ‘Gender-Just Climate Solutions’ Awards! The awards aim to showcase real solutions for a more just, equal and healthy planet. All types of activists, grassroots and women-led organizations and groups working on issues related to climate change are encouraged to apply. Three winning award recipients will receive € 2000 Euro, travel support to attend COP25 in Santiago, Chile, and one year of mentorship opportunities – while runners-up will be showcased in a publication, online platform and awards ceremony. The session hopes to provide answers to any questions you might have on the types of solutions we are seeking, eligibility, award details and the work of the Women and [...]
International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples – Year of Indigenous Languages
Watch this video made by the Gender Development Association from Laos (Gender Just Climate Solutions winner of 2017) and their partner GAPE. GDA and GAPE wants to acknowledge the critical role of ethnic languages in Laos; contributing to the preservation of our cultural heritage, diversity and unity of Lao people around the world. About the international day of the World's Indigenous Peoples There are an estimated 370 million indigenous people in the world, living across 90 countries. They make up less than 5 per cent of the world's population, but account for 15 per cent of the poorest. They speak an overwhelming majority of the world’s estimated 7,000 languages and represent 5,000 different cultures. The large majority of the languages in danger are spoken by indigenous peoples. It is estimated that, every 2 weeks, an indigenous language disappears, placing at risk the respective indigenous cultures and knowledge systems. That is why, on [...]
Peoples’ development justice movement gathered in New York
Demanding governments to having a people-centred approach to development More than 100 civil society organisations, activists and human rights defenders from New York and across the globe gathered yesterday, Sunday, 15 July at a “Ground Level Peoples’ Forum” (GLPF) to share their struggles and reflect on the rise of macho fascist politics, amidst the growing levels of inequality and the climate crisis. The peoples’ movement gathered and vowed to find ways to work together in the future and hold governments accountable for their commitment to sustainable development. The event was held as a counter space to the High Level Political Forum at United Nations where governments have come together to discuss sustainable development without any space for civil society and grassroots communities to voice their concerns and the realities on the ground. Groups at GLPF said a vision of people-centered development solution that works for those at the margins of society is crucial, especially [...]
Tunisia
Our partner organisation WEP Tunisie has prepared this shadow report in parallel to Tunisia’s Voluntary National Review, presented at the High Level Political Forum 2019. You can download it here: Tunisia's shadow report