OSLO – Q&A discussion on the groundbreaking new report, Securing Rights, Combating Climate Change: How Strengthening Community Forest Rights Mitigates Climate Change.

The paper — a joint venture between the World Resources Institute (WRI) and the Rights and Resources Initiative (RRI) — provides the most comprehensive analysis to date linking legal recognition and government protection of Indigenous Peoples’ and communities’ forest rights with reductions in carbon pollution.

Drawing on 14 forest-rich countries in Latin America, Africa, and Asia, the report presents a compelling case for securing community forest rights as a priority strategy for climate change mitigation. Some of the findings include:

• The one-eighth of the world’s forests that belong to Indigenous Peoples and communities store 37.7 billion tonnes of carbon — the equivalent of 29 years of emissions from all passenger vehicles.
• Where there is strong legal protection for Indigenous Peoples’ and community forests, deforestation rates are dramatically lower than those without such protection: 11 times lower in Brazil, 6 times lower in Bolivia, and 20 times lower in Guatemala.

The presentation and discussion will be led by Andy White, Coordinator of the Rights and Resources Initiative.