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Scientists team up with indigenous, faithful to fight for forests
- Colombia’s deforestation rate has been accelerating since the country’s peace accord in 2016, which formally ended a more than 50-year civil conflict.
- The Interfaith Rainforest Initiative in Colombia was launched in November to bring together scientists, development experts, indigenous peoples and religious leaders.
- The aim is to use their combined expertise to reduce deforestation via public policy and grassroots action.
Indonesia Launches One Map Policy Geoportal to Improve Investment Climate
The Indonesian government launched the One Map Policy Geoportal (KSP Geoportal). This policy involves a more detailed map of land use, hence aiming at resolving overlapping claims - as well as preventing the emergence of new cases - across the country, including in forest areas. The map was launched by Indonesian President Joko Widodo on Tuesday (11/12).
City action key to ensuring 'a climate-safe future', scientists say
City representatives said they had moved beyond national climate battles and were now taking action
KATOWICE, Poland - Compact pedestrian neighborhoods, urban forests and even carbon-sucking technologies must make the to-do list of more city mayors if the world is to avoid catastrophic climate change, scientists said at U.N. talks on Monday.
2018, the year of women’s rights?
Although achieving equality for women across the world has been a major focus of human rights movements in 2018, women continue to bear the brunt of inequality. This is according to a new Amnesty International report released on Monday.
Five Counties ‘Red Zones’ for Land Conflicts in Liberia
The Liberia Land Authority (LLA) has said Liberia continues to experience huge land conflicts in Montserrado, Margibi, Nimba, Bong, and Grand Bassa counties as these are the “red zones” of land conflicts in the country. This assertion comes against the current backdrop of a spate of land-related conflicts which appear to be on the increase.
Seawalls and forests aim to save the living - and dead - in Tanzania
When the water reached some of Kisiwa Panza's graveyards, people found themselves scrambling to protect the remains of their friends and families
KISIWA PANZA, Tanzania - First, the encroaching sea started eating away at homes and killing crops on the small island of Kisiwa Panza. Then the rising tides began bringing up the dead.
For over 25 years, rising seas linked to climate change have caused repeated flooding on this remote islet in the Tanzanian archipelago, saturating the land with saltwater.
Georgia temporarily lifts ban on sale of agricultural land to foreign citizens
Georgia’s Constitutional Court has suspended a moratorium on purchasing agricultural land by foreign citizens. While the court ruled the ban was unconstitutional, the suspension will only be temporary as constitutional amendments are set to kick in. Foreign citizens now have nine days left to register land they have bought or inherited.
South Africa: Lawmakers open way for land reform
South African lawmakers have agreed to amend the law, making way for land expropriation without compensation. Most of the land is still in the hands of the white minority, traditional leaders and South Africa's elite.
South Africa's National Assembly has given the green light to change the constitution on the issue of land distribution, making way for land expropriation without compensation for the previous owners. The lawmakers agreed to establish a committee of 25 people, representing all parliamentary parties, to flesh out and introduce a new bill on land reform.
Touted as a model abroad, Ethiopia’s rural land registration raises serious questions at home
Government and aid agencies are trying to regularize land rights through registration but do rural people benefit?
Mekonnen Firew Ayano is a postdoctoral fellow at the Center for African Studies at Harvard University
Securing land rights for Pakistani women
Land ownership remains highly skewed within our country. The lack of access to land is even more glaring when we look at the minuscule proportion of women who own land in both rural and urban settings. Providing women land ownership is one sure way to address a range of gender-empowerment challenges plaguing our country. It is thus noteworthy that our Ministry of Human Rights has recently launched a public campaign concerning the rights of women to inherit land under Islamic jurisprudence and the Constitution.