The Forest Rights Act

Climate change scheme poses serious danger to forests, forest rights

Friends,

Even as attention is focused on the upcoming talks at Copenhagen, few of us in India have noted a dangerous side negotiation that has been taking place alongside the main talks. These negotiations have concerned a scheme called "REDD", which could result in a massive land grab across India's forest and adivasi belts, one that would make the current conflicts over land acquisition look minor.

REDD is a proposed mechanism whereby industrial countries would pay for forest protection in developing countries (most likely through trading in "carbon credits" earned by such activities), ostensibly to mitigate climate change. The government of India strongly supports REDD and wants it to not only cover protection of existing forests but also afforestation. But what seems like a good idea - rich countries paying people to protect their forests - will actually produce disaster. In a situation where the government refuses to acknowledge the rights of forest dwelling communities, stamping a financial value on forests, and moreover, bringing in private companies interested in earning carbon credits, is an invitation to land grabbing. Moreover, there is good reason to believe that REDD will in no way actually address climate change. Under the cover of "green" activities, what REDD is likely to become is a massive scam - and a huge source of conflict across India's already burning forest belts.

For more information, see our webpage on REDD.