REDDy – Set – Grow: Financial leaders call for investors-friendly forest-carbon market at UNEP FI report launchLeading financial institutions upped the ante on their future role in mitigating climate change as they called for more effective forest-carbon regulations on the occasion of a UNEP FI report launch at the Bank of America Merrill Lynch’s European headquarters in London.
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Africa Forest Restoration Can Protect Food Security, Group SaysSept. 13 (Bloomberg) -- Restoring and preserving dry-land forests can help provide food and fertilizer on small farms and prevent the recurrence of famine in Kenya and other African countries, a research group said.
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From illegal logger to conservationistMANILA, Philippines — Expedito Vanzuela, 59, was once an illegal logger, cutting trees in the forests of Maasin, the capital city of Southern Leyte, where he grew up.
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Iwokrama, REDD attract CIFOR Director General to Guyana Director General of the Centre for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) Frances J. Seymour, is in Guyana to live her dream of embarking on an excursion to Iwokrama which she has for decades longed to visit.
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Will REDD conserve natural forests and protect local livelihoods?This blog was written by an intern in GBMI’s Europe office, Antoni Michael
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Corruption in the forestry sector and illegal logging Illegal logging is a
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Rapporteur Highlights Abuses of Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Due to Extractive Industries20 September 2011: The UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, James Anaya, addressed the 18th session of the UN Human Rights Council, held from 12-30 September 2011, in Geneva, Switzerland, and presented his report focusing on extractive industries operating within or near ind
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Ecosystem services certification
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Avoiding deforestation in the context of biofuel feedstock expansion
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Douglas Sheil and I launched CoFCCloT in August 2011. A Google search for CoFCCloT results in 138,000 hits just now. Not bad for an organization that doesn’t exist.
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Country Is Hosting a Consultation and Capacity Building Workshop OnSouth Africa is hosting a consultation and capacity-building workshop under the auspices of the Convention on Biological Diversity, on reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries (REDD+), with a focus on biodiversity safeguards.
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Southern Leyte farmers show how to manage forestsOne day in April, Florentino Saludo led a team of 19 men in trekking through the forest of Sitio Canlugoc in Lunas, Maasin, Southern Leyte, with a mission in mind: to cut trees.
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Brazil Shares Lessons with Africa on Incentives for Sustainable Forestry Management
Providing Country(ies): Brazil
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Benefit Sharing Mechanisms for REDD+ in Kenya : exploring the optionsThe last of the Alternatives to Slash and Burn (ASB) seminar series was presented by Audrey Chenevoy from Institut Superieur d’Agriculture (ISA) in France. She is working with others within the ASB Partnership for Tropical Forest Margins to further ICRAF’s work on the REDD+ Program. In the last 5 months, she has been exploring Benefit Sharing Mechanism (BSM) options for REDD+ in Kenya.
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Seven Norwegian MPs in Tanzania to learn about climate change
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B.C. should use policy, not dollars, in carbon fight
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, natural gas prices were high and many major gas consumers worried that continued high prices posed serious risks to future profitability.
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Nestle Buys Palm Oil Promises of Sinar MasSwiss food giant Nestle will resume purchases of palm oil from Sinar Mas Agro Resources and Technology following an 18-month halt after Smart made improvements to abide by Nestle’s guidelines for responsible environmental practices.
The parent company of the palm oil producer known as Smart, Golden Agri Resources, has been working with environmental group The Forest Trust on the implementation of a Forest Conservation Policy. The plan would ensure that GAR has no deforestation footprint and also seeks sustainable growth.
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Future Policy Award crowns world’s best forest policiesForest laws and policies in Rwanda, The Gambia and the US beat out 17 other nominees to win 2011 Future Policy Award
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Agriculture, Forests and Rights are key ingredients to reducing emissions Being one of the major drivers of deforestation, there is wide consensus that agriculture will largely determine success on efforts to reduce carbon emission levels.
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CURRENT GUIDANCE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF LEGALITY DEFINITIONS IN FLEGT VOLUNTARY PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENTSThis brief aims to guide countries in the development of their Legality Definition as part of a Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) process.
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European and global forests - which way for the future? A two-day conference on European and global forests - which way for the future? was held at the European Parliament in Brussels on 6-7 September 2011. The first day of the conference was organised by the INTERREG IVC project FUTUREforest.
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International Conference on Multipurpose Forest Management under Changing ConditionsWhen: Nov 23 - 25, 2011
Where: Nanning, Guangxi, China
Organized By: Guangxi University & the Experimental Center of Tropical Forestry, CAF
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Keeping carbon criminals out of the forestsThe REDD+ lobby would do well to learn the lessons of the Uganda land grab and build transparency, anti-corruption measures, conflict resolution into the system from the start, says Davyth Stewart from Global Witness
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Drawing lessons from Norway's REDD+ interventions
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Safeguards and multiples benefits in a REDD+ mechanism
This paper explores the relationship between safeguards and multiple benefits in REDD+ activities, focusing on the possible institutional and governance structures that could facilitate attaining multiple benefits and respecting safeguards. It highlights key issues for further negotiation and explores options for moving forward.
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Landmark conservation buy gives to indigenous ownersIn a landmark, first-of-its kind, acquisition for conservationists a global conservation group has led the purchase of Fish River Station, a former cattle station in the Northern Territory, and is to hand it back to indigenous traditional owners.
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PM earmarks $30m for forestry sectorHA NOI — Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has approved an additional US$30 million to develop the forestry sector. The funds, from the World Bank's International Development Association, bring the total received to $99.8 million.
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Lao-German REDD+ project pioneers FPIC in Sayabouri Province, LaosVillagers around the Nam Phui NPA will become the first in Laos to formally give consent on whether or not to participate in a REDD+ project. Representatives from GIZ and LBA clarify the why, who and how behind Laos’ pioneer FPIC (Free, Prior and Informed Consent) process while Mr.
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Q and A: Forests and ClimateReading about declining forests, the problem seems overwhelming. So I’m wondering: What can I do at a personal level?
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Factbox: Australia-Norway plan to rescue U.N. climate talks(Reuters) - Australia and Norway have crafted a proposal they hope will get troubled global climate talks back on track and win agreement on a broader climate pact by 2015.
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Fewer Farms = More Forest = Less Biodiversity? If clearing tropical forests for agriculture is a major cause of the ongoing catastrophic decline in biodiversity, conventional thinking would have us believe that reducing the number of farms and allowing the forests to expand should help reverse that decline, at least locally.
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How to monitor biodiversity for REDD projectsAlthough the international program Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD) was developed in order to lower greenhouse gas emissions by protecting standing forests, conservationists have long pointed out that another
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Japan earmarks P5-B forestland loanThe Japanese government has earmarked the appropriation of an estimated Y9.244 billion, or approximately P5.084 billion, to strengthen forestland management in the Philippines.
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Compensatory afforestation has not worked, says a new studyA new study supported by the Green Party of Germany finds that compensatory afforestation has not taken off in many cases and forest conservation rules have helped industry more than environment.
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A new opportunity for land grabbers?Land is cheap and is perceived to be abundant in Africa. A scramble for Africa’s land, following the food and fuel crisis three years ago, is on.
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Fuzzy forest framing favours fallacies
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A model biodiversity monitoring protocol for REDD projectsEmerging international standards for Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD) projects require a demonstrated biodiversity benefit and a biodiversity monitoring protocol.
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GEF Council to adopt revised Environmental and Social Safeguards in November
The Global Environment Facility (GEF) secretariat will propose to the next GEF Council meeting a revised set of Environmental and Social Safeguard Standards and accountability mechanisms that will accompany such standards.
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ACEH: The Ulu Masen REDD+ Pilot ProjectThe Ulu Masen project was developed by the Provincial Government of Aceh with the assistance of Fauna and Flora International (FFI) and the carbon brokerage firm, Carbon Conservation.
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Stop Imminent Land Grab That Threatens More Than 162,000 People in Tanzania Iowa-based investor Bruce Rastetter and fellow investors in the industrial agricultural corporation AgriSol Energy have their sights on 800,000 acres (325,000 hectares) of land in Tanzania that is
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UN-REDD Programme Draft Social and Environmental Principles and Criteria
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Ministry seeks funding for environmental programmesThe Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment needs US$430 million to fund programmes over the next five years that aim to manage natural resources and the environment in regards to socio-economic development.
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Beijing Statement on Forests and Forestry--APECBeijing, China, September 7, 2011 - Recognizing the role of resource and energy constraints, climate change, loss of biological diversity, poverty, and food insecurity, APEC Ministers Responsible for Forestry released a statement to support green growth, sustainable forest management and rehabili
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Global Effort Aims to Restore 150 Million Hectares of Deforested LandA global effort to restore 150 million hectares of degraded and deforested lands by 2020 is being launched in Bonn, Germany.
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Peru awarded US$11mln grant for forest managementPeru has been awarded a US$11 million grant to help the country on the initiative of Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) for sustainable forest management.
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The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), continues to invest in Guyana’s forestry sectorThe United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization country representative Dr. Lystra Fletcher-Paul said this is aimed at addressing local needs and national priorities which reflect internationally agreed principles.
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REDD+ potential funds reach up to Rp270 trillion: CIFORThe potential flow of funds from advanced nations to developing countries to deal with deforestation through REDD+ programs is estimated to reach up to US$30 billion or Rp270 trillion annually, according to the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR).
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Finns contest “worst” sustainable forestry record claimA Finnish forests executive has dismissed an environmental group’s report which listed Finland as having the world’s worst sustainable forestry management record.
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We are losing our natural forests to tree plantations yet on paper, all is well because these plantations are considered ‘forests’.
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Dr. Peter Kolb discusses Sustainable Forestry, German-styleHow German the sustainable forest management (SFM) system is recognized by the US - spend the time to watch - and have a lough!
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Climate Conversations - Green the economy to check environmental degradationIn Pakistan, environmental degradation is both a cause and consequence of different socio-economic problems including deepening poverty, declining performance of different crops and worsening problems with human and crop diseases.
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New version of Pan-European Forest Map availableEarth Observation data are regarded as a cost-efficient means for locating different types of vegetation cover at the ground level. Two different earth-observation products (Kempeneers et al. 2011 and Schuck et al. 2002 / Päivinen et al.
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Ghana's Forestry Commission (FC) has revealed that a Review Committee is being set up for upward review of the country's Timber Rights Fee (TRF), popularly known as timber fees meant for the state. Since 2005, the commission has not revised the TRF, necessitating the review.
TRF is rent that timber companies pay for their concessions annually. When the TRF is reviewed upwards, more revenue will be earned from the numerous timber companies operating in Ghana.
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ERA Holds Annual AGM and Provides Corporate Update on Operations Oct 26, 2011 VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA ,MARKETWIRE
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Now That the Nation Has Got REDD Alert, What Next?It is definitely celebration time for environment stakeholders especially the Federal Ministry of Environment now that Nigeria has been granted the green light to benefit from the $4 million (N600 million using official rate) from the United Nations (UN) Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and
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Forests can feed world’s hungry and over-exploitation for timber must be curbed – UN26 October 2011 – Forests can play an even greater role in feeding the world with products ranging from vitamin-rich leaves to fruits and roots, a United Nations-backed international consortium said today, calling on governments to invest more in sustainable forest
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Workshop Proceedings “Linking community monitoring with national MRV for REDD+”More than 65 participants from 15 countries across Africa, Asia and Latin America shared their experiences and work on MRV during a workshop entitled, “Linking community monitoring with national Monitoring Reporting and Verification for REDD” held in Mexico last month, from 12-14 September 2011.
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Call Issued for Civil Society Organization Observers to the CIFsOctober 2011: The organization RESOLVE has published a call for applications for non-profit Civil Society Organization (CSO) Observers to the Climate Investment Funds (CIFs), to serve for a two-year term, beginning in January 2012.
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Who Could Refuse to Protect the Rainforest of Brazil and Feed 9 Billion People?10/24/11 - Huffington POST | Anyone looking at Brazil on the map sees a huge swath of green, which symbolizes a country that is blessed by natural resources and a true environmental power.
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Multi-Billion Dollar Climate Change Fund Hits BarrierPlans for a multi-billion dollar fund to help developing countries, including Ghana, to deal with climate change hit a big snag last week, when the countries could not agree on the format of the fund.
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UN-REDD Calls for Comments on Draft Social and Environmental Criteria17 October 2011: The UN-REDD Programme has opened for public consultation on its draft social and environmental principles and criteria. The consultation is open until 31 December 2011.
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UNFCCC Publishes Submissions on REDD+ Methodological Guidance19 October 2011: The UNFCCC Secretariat has published views (FCCC/SBSTA/2011/MISC.7) on methodological guidance for activities relating to reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation and the role of conservation, sustainable management of forests and enhancement of forest carbon
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Multimedia exhibit showcases sustainable management of forest resourcesTACLOBAN CITY, Leyte, October 22 (PIA) -- A three-day audio-visual/photo exhibit dubbed “The Philippine Forests: The Before and What Now?” was conducted on October 14 to 16 at the La Plaza, Tiendesitas Frontera Verde, Pasig City.
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Guidelines on participatory forest inventory
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Carbon offset projects ‘having positive impact’ The carbon offset projects being undertaken in Tanzania by a Norwegian company, Green Resources ASA (GRAS), have begun to make remarkable progress in addressing the challenge of climate change and contributing significantly to national poverty alleviation efforts.
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Sugar industry takes aim at Ugandan forest againAt Najjembe roadside market, in the heart of Uganda’s rainforest, Sanyu Nakato offers the bright yellow bananas in her basket to hungry passengers on the long-distance coach to neighbouring Kenya, who snap up her wares.
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Carbon Fund Risks Undermining REDD ReadinessDear Participants Committee Members and Carbon Fund Participants:
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Could a Forest be Worth More than a Gold Mine?Yerevan, Armenia–As Armenia was celebrating twenty years of independence in September, local and international experts came together to discuss youth, maturity, and transitions at the TEDx Yerevan event on September 24, 2011.
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The increasing importance of the ‘patchwork’ approach for REDDLast month, the second edition of State of the Forest Carbon Markets,was released.
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Transparency Report Card urges stakeholders to ensure tranparency in forest managementThe 2010 Annual Transparency Report Card has recommended to stakeholders to lend support in ensuring transparent and accountable forest governance in the management of Ghana’s natural forest resources for present and future generations.
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First Nations want to dissolve Two Feathers Forest Products initiativeTwo Feathers Forest Products is a partnership formed in 2008 between Wabigoon Lake Ojibway Nation, Pikangikum First Nation, Eagle Lake First Nation, and the Wood Tech Group from Finland with the goal of supportin
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Korea to plant millions of trees in ChinaCHANGWON ― Over the next five years, Korea will channel 3 billion won ($2.6 million) to plant millions of trees along the border areas of China and Mongolia to prevent the expansion of yellow dust storms here.
Toward that end, the Korea Forest Service (KFS) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) Tuesday with the two neighboring states on the sidelines of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) conference in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province.
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100,000 community foresters to help green IndiaAgartala : India will engage 100,000 educated youths to execute an ambitious Green India Mission (GIM) which seeks to increase the country's forest cover to 33 percent from 20 percent within 10 years, says a top forest official.
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Draft law proposes steps to halt deforestationKARACHI, Nov 3: A revised version of the decades-old forest act suggests critical changes in key government powers to protect what little is left of forests, including the establishment of a settlement committee to determine the status of land, measures to ensure community participation, increase
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Creating markets to pay for public good offer promise, perilOver the past 50 years, 60 percent of all ecosystem services have declined as a direct result of the conversion of land to the production of foods, fuels and fibers.
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Interpol, U.N. to train police in REDD host countriesInterpol and the U.N.’s main environmental arm are join forces to help rainforest countries prevent land grabs motivated by carbon trading, and take action against illegal logging.
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Rufiji Delta Project Still OnReplacing community conservation of mangrove forests at Rufiji delta in favour of fortress conservation by the state to meet carbon trading needs will not work.
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UD didn’t pursue abuse of aid fundsAudits finally conducted of Norway’s foreign aid to Tanzania revealed irregularities and corruption, but critics claim Norwegian officials reacted much too mildly.
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REDUCING the risks of climate change is not a technological problem. There are many ways to generate electricity, drive cars or grow crops without emitting much carbon dioxide—but they are expensive.
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Some Timberland Transactions and Other Stuff I've had several requests for an update on issues surrounding timberland investments and transactions to date for 2011 so I am posting a chart of the transactions of which I am aware. I will also make a comment or two on conservation easements and on who is
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Benefit sharing is key for the success of REDD in Tanzania
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Latin American partners awarded for sustainable forestry and microfinanceOikocredit partners in Guatemala and Bolivia received awards for excellence in their operations. One successfully cares for the environment and generates jobs, while the other contributes to community development through microfinance.
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African Countries Are Pointing the Way to Sustainable Forestry Management
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Deliberating REDD+ institutions and governance in AfricaDeliberating REDD+ institutions and governance in Africa, Olufunso Somorin, Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), Wageningen University, the Netherlands
Is REDD+ possible in Africa?
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Collective Action for Sustainable ForestryThe article examines the efforts for collective action of ten village communities in the state of Orissa to manage their local forest resources from an institutional perspective.
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Master of Sustainable Forest Management
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Southwest Alberta groups release new recommendations for sustainable forest managementToday sees the release of a new report, Sustainable Forests, Sustainable Communities: The Future of Alberta’s Southwestern Forests.
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THE FIRST tropical rainforest in the world to be certified under the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) standards for sustainable forest management is in Sabah, Malaysia.
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New approaches to sustainable forest management: a study of service innovation in conserving forestry resourcesSustainability has been a primary concern for the forestry professionals. This paper is concerned with the continuing evolution of approaches to monitor sustainable forest management.
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Standards set for forest managementThe Government set out its standard for sustainable forest management in a new publication today (Thursday 3 November 2011).
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OPIC Signs First Insurance Contract for REDD Carbon Reduction ProjectThe Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) has executed the first political risk insurance contract for a Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD) project that will protect 64,318 hectares of forest in Cambodia and sequester approximately 8.7 million metric tons of CO2e
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Sustainable Forest Management and Carbon in Tropical Latin America: The Case for REDD+ This review paper assesses the economic, governance and technical conditions that shape forest management in tropical Latin America with particular regard to efforts to reduce forest-based carbon emissions.
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Integrating climate change issues into national forest programmes
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GEF Council Members approve 500 Million US Dollars Environmental Projects The governing body of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Council yesterday (November 9, 2011) approved an unprecedented large work program worth half a billion US dollars within the fifth replenishment cycle of the GEF.
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State level Workshop on Decentralised Forest Governance: Beyond JFMWhen: Oct 14 - 15, 2011
Where: Bhubaneswar, India
Organized By: Regional Centre for Development Cooperation (RCDC)
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£20m for farming and forestry businessesA new £20 million fund to help rural businesses increase profits and reduce their impact on the environment has been launched today by Agriculture Minister Jim Paice.
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Improving forest peoples tenure rights reduces poverty and improves forest conditions, says new studyWhile Asia’s rapid growth has lifted millions out of poverty, persistent pockets still remain in areas beyond the embrace of development.
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Forestry needs to spend international funding more quickly, efficiently Policy makers and practitioners need to find ways to spend international funding for forestry projects more quickly and efficiently to show that they can be implemented and benefit local communities, which will bring more political and bigger financial support as new climate funds flow in.
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Market and non-market costs of REDD+ perceived by local communitiesForest dependent communities’ perceptions of non-market costs should be included when assessing the costs associated with REDD+, as they are the actors who will largely bear these costs.
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Pilot Forest Carbon Trust Fund: Rewarding local communities for forest conservationThis is the first Forest Carbon Trust Fund in Nepal, and lessons learnt from this pilot project will be vital for understanding what kind of governance system will be required for implementing REDD+ at the national level when communities are actively involved in forest management.
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