A new institution is in the works to help secure land for indigenous populations in order to significantly reduce the risk of deforestation and become a critical tool in the global struggle against climate change.
The initiative, known as the International Land and Forest Tenure Facility, is being developed by the Rights and Resources Initiative as an independent source of funds for on-the-ground projects to promote land tenure for indigenous and local communities so they can manage that land sustainably.
“Our estimates are that there’s at least two or maybe three times more land in forests out there that’s … legitimately claimed, customarily managed — but not recognized in maps or in law,” RRI Coordinator Andy White told Devex. “We have lots of evidence that show that indigenous peoples in poorest communities, once their rights are recognized, they’re more effective at protecting it [from industrial use].”
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About the author
Jeff Tyson@jtyson21
Jeff is a former global development reporter for Devex. Based in Washington, D.C., he covers multilateral affairs, U.S. aid, and international development trends. He has worked with human rights organizations in both Senegal and the U.S., and prior to joining Devex worked as a production assistant at National Public Radio. He holds a master's degree in journalism from Columbia University and a bachelor’s degree in international relations and French from the University of Rochester.
