政府,公民社会和商业的领导人将于下周在纽约汇聚在一起,以应对世界面临的最重要的威胁之一 - 气候变化。必威官网是真的吗在众多的政策选择中,值得认识的是strengthening community forest rights。最近的研究from WRI and the权利和资源倡议found that the world’s 513 million hectares of legally recognized community forests store 37 billion tonnes of carbon—29 times the annual carbon footprint of the world’s passenger vehicles.

但是,仅仅合法地认识到土著人民的森林权利是不够的 - 政府也必须protect这些权利来自行业和其他利益。厄瓜多尔采取石油提取的影响说明了为什么安全的社区森林权利为保护生计和环境有必要。

A Snapshot of Ecuador’s Forests

大致39%of Ecuador’s greenhouse gas emissions come from deforestation and other land use changes, thanks in large part to oil extraction. Much of this tree cover loss occurs in the Ecuadorian Amazon, home to Indigenous Peoples and other local communities.

厄瓜多尔的2008年宪法将该国一半以上的森林土地指定为community forests,,,,or “Indigenous Territories.” These communities are legally entitled to utilize timber, food, and other forest products, as well as to exclude outsiders from their traditional lands.

The problem is that the Government of Ecuador维护所有地下权限到这些森林地区,经常为碳氢化合物开发而开放土地。In short, even with legal recognition, indigenous peoples’ forest rights are weak, threatening the forest ecosystems they call home.

Deforestation of Indigenous Territories in Ecuador’s Northern Amazon

Ecuador’s Northern Amazon showcases what can happen when governments give extractive industries rights to community forests. Oil was first discovered in the region at the end of the 1960s, and the area has been exploited ever since. Even Protected Areas—which limit communities’ rights to use forests—may be subject to oil drilling if the National Legislature declares extraction a matter of “national interest.” The below map of Indigenous Territories in the Northeastern province of Orellana shows deforestation from 2000 to 2012 for Indigenous Territories, both inside and outside Protected Areas.

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From 2000 to 2008, Indigenous Territories in Orellana and neighboring Sucumbíos that do not overlap with Government Protected Areas suffered some of the highest deforestation rates in the country,损失6.5%of their forest—an area about half the size of New York City. Oil operations—and the roads and settlers they bring with them—were largely to blame.

保护新的石油边界厄瓜多尔南部的土著地区

Unlike the Northern Amazon, forests in the Southern Amazonian provinces of Pastaza and Morona Santiago are still largely undisturbed, with 50 percent of their forests still intact. These regions are home to several Indigenous Peoples, such as the Shuar, Achuar, Kichwa, Shiwiar, Andoa, and Sápara—communities with a long history of protecting and sustainably managing their forests.

然而,没有政府干预,南厄瓜多尔似乎准备好与北部同行相同的命运。非可再生自然资源部目前正在将该地区的石油块拍卖给公司。钻井和漏油不仅可以森林砍伐该地区,而且还可能污染土壤和水,就像亚马逊北部一样。

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前进的道路

同时,厄瓜多尔政府开始投资为社区提供支持的可持续管理森林,以减轻气候变化。必威官网是真的吗它的社会博物馆(森林合作伙伴)计划于2008年启动,向保护其森林的土著人民,当地社区和个人家庭提供年度付款。该计划涵盖的土地中约有88%属于土著人民,其优先区域包含大约62%厄瓜多尔的碳储存在树木和其他生物量中。该程序涵盖超过130万公顷并有more than 170,000 beneficiaries整个厄瓜多尔赚钱每年1100万美元

该计划是朝着赋予土著社区权力并减轻气候变化的鼓励之行,但很明显,决策者必须进一步发展。必威官网是真的吗社会博物馆没有提供有关保护森林免受石油行动的明确规定,使它们容易受到计划外社区森林中相同的剥削的影响。

政府需要保护社会博物馆保护区以及其他来自碳氢化合物优惠的土著地区。当前的法律框架根本无法为此提供。需要明确的监管和程序,以确保尊重土著人民的权利。增加政府支持to secure rights in Indigenous community forests is critical—not only to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from deforestation, but also to protect biodiversity, cultures, and human well-being.