Keywords
Colombia
Local communities
Territorial rights
Categories
How to Cite
Abstract
For centuries, Indigenous peoples and local communities have been the guardians of ecosystems, protecting biodiversity and the benefits nature provides through sustainable practices based on traditional knowledge. In recognition of the fundamental role tropical forests play in climate change mitigation and adaptation, various management tools have been developed to improve these communities' quality of life.
Broadly speaking, these tools offer financial incentives for communities to conserve or restore ecosystems, which in turn provides environmental benefits such as capturing atmospheric carbon, protecting water sources, conserving biodiversity, and regulating climate. Over the past decade, these approaches have been applied in many parts of the world with mixed results. Significant challenges remain, however. For example, REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) projects are frequently reported to have ignored local communities' rights, raising concerns about the justice, effectiveness, and legitimacy of these projects. Although REDD+ is promoted for its environmental and financial benefits, many Indigenous peoples have warned of the risks it poses to their territorial rights and access to natural resources.
In this article, we aim to explain to a general audience what REDD+ is, why it matters, and what is needed for it to work properly and be socially just. Our analysis draws on academic research, NGO reports, government documents, and materials from Indigenous organizations. First, we provide an overview of what science says about the connection between climate change, tropical forests, and community lands. Second, we analyze the key problems facing Indigenous and forest-dependent communities in relation to REDD+ projects, with particular attention to Colombia. We conclude that meaningful participation by Indigenous peoples is essential; achieving this requires strong governance, transparent processes, and institutions that respect and value local knowledge, rights, and cultures.
Finally, we present a tool developed by the Latin American Center for Investigative Journalism on the status of REDD+ projects in Latin America (www.radiografiamercado-carbono.elclip.org). This platform integrates data from public records and corporate sources, highlighting achievements, shortcomings, and the behavior of the companies involved, making it a key resource for informing communities and institutions.
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