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	<channel>
		<title>Conservation news</title>
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		<link>https://news.mongabay.com/list/colonialism/</link>
		<description>Environmental science and conservation news</description>
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	<title>News on Colonialism</title>
	<link>https://news.mongabay.com/list/colonialism/</link>
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				<item>
					<title>Conservation’s unfinished business</title>
					<link>https://news.mongabay.com/2026/01/conservations-unfinished-business/</link>
					<comments>https://news.mongabay.com/2026/01/conservations-unfinished-business/#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>12 Jan 2026 00:31:18 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Rhett Ayers Butler]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Rhett Butler]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2021/08/25184643/header-Felipe-Rodriguez-105-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.mongabay.com/?p=312841</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Founder's briefs]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Africa and Global]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[30x30 conservation target, Colonialism, Community-based Conservation, Conservation, Conservation leadership, Conservation Philosophy, Environment, Governance, Green, Human Rights, Human-wildlife Conflict, Indigenous Peoples, Indigenous Rights, Protected Areas, Social Justice, Traditional Knowledge, and Wildlife]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[Conservation often presents itself as a technical enterprise: how much land to protect, which species to prioritize, what policies deliver results. A recent paper in Nature argues that this framing misses something fundamental. Many of the field’s most persistent failures, the authors contend, cannot be understood without confronting how race, power, and historical exclusion continue [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[Conservation often presents itself as a technical enterprise: how much land to protect, which species to prioritize, what policies deliver results. A recent paper in Nature argues that this framing misses something fundamental. Many of the field’s most persistent failures, the authors contend, cannot be understood without confronting how race, power, and historical exclusion continue to shape conservation practice today. The paper, A Framework for Addressing Racial and Related Inequities in Conservation, does not claim that conservation is uniquely flawed, nor that injustice is universal across all projects. Its argument is narrower and more pointed. Modern conservation, it says, emerged from a colonial context that treated land as empty and people as obstacles. Those assumptions were never fully dismantled. They survive in subtler forms, influencing whose knowledge counts, who bears the costs of protection, and who decides what success looks like. A Purko elder collecting medicinal plants in the Loita Hills Forest, Kenya. Photo credit: Rhett A. Butler. The authors, led by Moreangels Mbizah of Wildlife Conservation Action in Zimbabwe, trace conservation’s institutional roots to the late nineteenth century, when protected areas were established across colonized landscapes through forced removals and restrictions on customary land use. Indigenous peoples and rural communities were often excluded in the name of preserving “pristine” nature. Although conservation has evolved since then, the paper argues that these early patterns still shape present-day practice through what it calls “path dependencies”: inherited norms that continue to privilege outside expertise and centralized control. One consequence, according to the&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2026/01/conservations-unfinished-business/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
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					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
										<doi>https://doi.org/10.66709/news-312841</doi>				</item>
						<item>
					<title>Impacts and legacies of migration across the Pan Amazon</title>
					<link>https://news.mongabay.com/2024/10/impacts-and-legacies-of-migration-across-the-pan-amazon/</link>
					<comments>https://news.mongabay.com/2024/10/impacts-and-legacies-of-migration-across-the-pan-amazon/#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>24 Oct 2024 09:15:51 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Timothy J. Killeen]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Mayra]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Amazon]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2024/10/23193115/Acampamento_ao_Longo_da_Ferrovia_Madeira-Mamore_-_669_Acervo_do_Museu_Paulista_da_USP_cropped-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.mongabay.com/?p=289119</guid>

					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Amazon, Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, Latin America, Paraguay, Peru, and South America]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Colonialism, Colonization, Culture, Diseases, Human Migration, Indigenous Peoples, Land Rights, Migration, Population, Rainforests, and Religions]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[Most of the Pan Amazonian population consists of immigrants or their descendants. They arrived over centuries, motivated by historical events that moulded their self-identity. This diverse assemblage of people represents a broad range of cultural and ethnic backgrounds, which is further stratified by economic opportunity – or the lack thereof. Immigration into the Amazon followed [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[Most of the Pan Amazonian population consists of immigrants or their descendants. They arrived over centuries, motivated by historical events that moulded their self-identity. This diverse assemblage of people represents a broad range of cultural and ethnic backgrounds, which is further stratified by economic opportunity – or the lack thereof. Immigration into the Amazon followed routes that were determined by proximity and access, first via the river network and then by highways that were constructed specifically to facilitate colonization. The differences amongst the groups are reflected in their production systems, which explain, in part, why the different regions of the Amazon have followed distinct development trajectories. The first wave: Jesuits versus bandeirantes The first European explorers of the Amazon were soon followed by missionaries affiliated with the Society of Jesus, more commonly known as Jesuits. Although few in number, probably fewer less than 3,000 individuals over 150 years of mission activity, they had a massive impact on the cultural and political history of the Pan Amazon. Nominally non-state actors, these highly educated clerics played an important role in stabilizing the frontier zones that separated the Spanish and Portuguese empires. The Jesuits deliberately founded outposts in remote landscapes as part of their evangelical mission to convert native populations. Isolation, however, also allowed them to pursue their philosophical agenda free from the interference of colonial power. Their approach relied on innovative tactics, such as preaching in the native language, but their goal was also novel: to create autonomous communities based on early&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2024/10/impacts-and-legacies-of-migration-across-the-pan-amazon/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
										<doi>https://doi.org/10.66709/news-289119</doi>				</item>
						<item>
					<title>CHAPTER 6. Culture and demographics defines the Pan Amazon&#8217;s present</title>
					<link>https://news.mongabay.com/2024/09/chapter-6-culture-and-demographics-defines-the-pan-amazons-present/</link>
					<comments>https://news.mongabay.com/2024/09/chapter-6-culture-and-demographics-defines-the-pan-amazons-present/#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>25 Sep 2024 11:56:55 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Timothy J. Killeen]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Mayra]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Amazon]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2024/09/23171803/PORTADA_CH6-inicio-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.mongabay.com/?p=287727</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Perfect Storm in the Amazon]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Amazon, Brazil, Colombia, Latin America, Peru, and South America]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Agriculture, Biodiversity, Colonialism, Conservation, Culture, Deforestation, Environment, Environmental Policy, extractives, Forest Loss, Forests, Governance, Human Migration, Indigenous Peoples, Migration, Natural Resources, Oil, Politics, Population, Rainforests, Regulations, and Tropical Forests]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[Infrastructure investments, agricultural production systems, land speculation and the exploitation of mineral resources have all been identified as drivers of deforestation and hydrological degradation in the Pan Amazon. These forces do not act in isolation, but are the consequence of people who act within cultural spaces defined by history and circumstance. Farmers, ranchers, miners, urban [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[Infrastructure investments, agricultural production systems, land speculation and the exploitation of mineral resources have all been identified as drivers of deforestation and hydrological degradation in the Pan Amazon. These forces do not act in isolation, but are the consequence of people who act within cultural spaces defined by history and circumstance. Farmers, ranchers, miners, urban elites and the blue-collar workforce are all people pursuing their individual economic interests. Politicians respond to citizens’ demands for economic growth, job creation and an improved standard of living, while businesspeople seek to make a profit and increase their shareholders’ net worth. By necessity or design, people make decisions with extremely short horizons and are usually forced to choose among a limited number of options determined by public policies and market exigencies. The current state of the Pan Amazon is product of a complex dynamic that has evolved over centuries. Paramount is the resiliency of its Indigenous cultures, which have withstood the onslaught of colonial and republican exploitation, particularly the events of a rubber boom (1879–1912) and the nationalist development policies of the last half of the twentieth century, when governments adopted policies specifically designed to populate and transform their Amazonian provinces. Migration has radically transformed the Amazon, creating a population that is highly dependent on the conventional economy and global commodity markets. Although the development policies that transformed the region after 1970 were largely focused on rural production strategies, internal migration has led to a concentration of people – and talent – in the&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2024/09/chapter-6-culture-and-demographics-defines-the-pan-amazons-present/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
										<doi>https://doi.org/10.66709/news-287727</doi>				</item>
						<item>
					<title>How a 160-year-old pelt piqued new findings on Indigenous &#8216;woolly dog&#8217; breed</title>
					<link>https://news.mongabay.com/2023/12/how-a-160-year-old-pelt-piqued-new-findings-on-indigenous-woolly-dog-breed/</link>
					<comments>https://news.mongabay.com/2023/12/how-a-160-year-old-pelt-piqued-new-findings-on-indigenous-woolly-dog-breed/#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>22 Dec 2023 20:41:30 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Sonam Lama Hyolmo]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Latoya Abulu]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2023/12/22200635/A1-Mutton-reconstruction-and-blanket-scaled-e1703277146124-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.mongabay.com/?p=277007</guid>

					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Canada, North America, Pacific Northwest, and United States]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Animals, Biodiversity, Canids, Colonialism, Colonization, Culture, Environment, Extinction, Green, Indigenous Peoples, Mammals, Research, and Science]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[If any dog has held much of a cultural, economic, and spiritual significance to the Indigenous nations in the Pacific Northwest Coast, it was the Coast Salish woolly dog. In British Columbia, Washington and Oregon, their fluffy fleece and thick undercoats were sheared like sheep by high-status women and spun together to weave colorful blankets [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[If any dog has held much of a cultural, economic, and spiritual significance to the Indigenous nations in the Pacific Northwest Coast, it was the Coast Salish woolly dog. In British Columbia, Washington and Oregon, their fluffy fleece and thick undercoats were sheared like sheep by high-status women and spun together to weave colorful blankets and textiles. In a new study, a team of researchers from the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History partnered with Coast Salish Indigenous communities to explore the breed&#8217;s origins and sudden disappearance. The researchers analyzed the 160-year-old pelt of an extinct woolly dog named Mutton, the last known of its breed. The fluffy canine died in 1859 under the care of naturalist and ethnographer George Gibbs. The pelt has since resided in the museum, and its existence was little known until it was rediscovered in the early 2000s. After studying the genome in the pelt, researchers say numerous sociocultural factors are likely responsible for the species’ disappearance. Chief among them were the impacts of European colonization. Although Mutton’s genetics could tell little about what caused this dog&#8217;s death, this is the first time the genome of a woolly dog has been sequenced, said Audrey Lin, corresponding author and evolutionary molecular biologist from the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. Based on the genetic data, they estimated that woolly dogs biologically evolved from other breeds about 5,000 years ago. The team found out that nearly 85% of Mutton’s ancestry was linked to precolonial dogs before the&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2023/12/how-a-160-year-old-pelt-piqued-new-findings-on-indigenous-woolly-dog-breed/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
										<doi>https://doi.org/10.66709/news-277007</doi>				</item>
						<item>
					<title>African NGOs seek more funds, trust, and autonomy in global partnerships</title>
					<link>https://news.mongabay.com/2023/10/african-ngos-seek-more-funds-trust-and-autonomy-in-global-partnerships/</link>
					<comments>https://news.mongabay.com/2023/10/african-ngos-seek-more-funds-trust-and-autonomy-in-global-partnerships/#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>20 Oct 2023 16:16:22 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Malavika Vyawahare]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Latoya Abulu]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[africa]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2023/10/20075519/Photo-Credit-Ryan-Lash-%EF%80%A2-TED-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.mongabay.com/?p=274426</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Conservation Finance, Indigenous Peoples and Conservation, and Indigenous-led conservation]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Africa]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Biodiversity, Colonialism, Community Development, Community Forests, Community-based Conservation, Conflict, Conservation, Conservation Finance, Conservation leadership, Ecosystem Services, Environment, Finance, Forests, Funding, Globalization, Human Rights, Indigenous Peoples, Indigenous Rights, NGOs, Resource Conflict, Social Justice, and Traditional People]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[In the conservation world, partnerships between the big international NGOs, or BINGOs, and local grassroots organizations are often marriages of unequals. And as with any union, the biggest pain points appear to be money, trust, and autonomy. For organizations working in Africa, the relationship is further complicated by local organizations’ dependence on foreign funding — [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[In the conservation world, partnerships between the big international NGOs, or BINGOs, and local grassroots organizations are often marriages of unequals. And as with any union, the biggest pain points appear to be money, trust, and autonomy. For organizations working in Africa, the relationship is further complicated by local organizations’ dependence on foreign funding — about 80%, according to one estimate. Much of it is mediated through large NGOs present in multiple countries headquartered in the Global North, with better access to financial capital and global networks. A recent report from U.S. nonprofit Maliasili sought to scrutinize these partnerships between BINGOs and conservation-focused civil society organizations in Africa. The latter are entities “rooted in their communities or countries’ civil society,” seen as having great potential as change-makers because they tap into the knowledge and experience of the communities in which they’re embedded. “In the global context, there is a move to localize conservation funding and decision-making,” said Resson Kantai Duff, portfolio funding director at Maliasili. “Multilateral environmental agreements are recognizing the pivotal role Indigenous people and local communities are playing in addressing climate change and conservation challenges.” In December 2022, nearly 200 countries endorsed a global pact for nature and people, committing to protect 30% of the planet by 2030. For a rights-based, community-centered approach to be at the core of this expansion, local actors say they must be front and center. Conservation-focused civil society organizations in Africa are entities “rooted in their communities or countries’ civil society,” seen as&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2023/10/african-ngos-seek-more-funds-trust-and-autonomy-in-global-partnerships/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
										<doi>https://doi.org/10.66709/news-274426</doi>				</item>
						<item>
					<title>It&#8217;s time to embrace community-led conservation vs. the colonial kind (commentary)</title>
					<link>https://news.mongabay.com/2023/05/its-time-to-embrace-community-led-conservation-vs-the-colonial-kind-commentary/</link>
					<comments>https://news.mongabay.com/2023/05/its-time-to-embrace-community-led-conservation-vs-the-colonial-kind-commentary/#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>15 May 2023 19:54:29 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Audrey Moreng]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Erik Hoffner]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2023/05/15154753/animals_zh_129-768x512.jpeg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.mongabay.com/?p=268593</guid>

					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Fiji, Oceania, and Pacific Islands]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Activism, Biodiversity, Colonialism, Colonization, Commentary, Conservation, Funding, Indigenous Peoples, Marine Protected Areas, National Parks, Parks, Poverty, Poverty Alleviation, Protected Areas, and Wildlife]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[When I lived on the remote island of Beqa, in Fiji, I watched as foreign-based NGOs entered villages and told Fijians how to live their lives, saying things like “no more eating ika bula (sea turtle),” and “it is time you stop fishing kawakawa (grouper).” These environmental NGOs had good intentions, of course, but their [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[When I lived on the remote island of Beqa, in Fiji, I watched as foreign-based NGOs entered villages and told Fijians how to live their lives, saying things like “no more eating ika bula (sea turtle),” and “it is time you stop fishing kawakawa (grouper).” These environmental NGOs had good intentions, of course, but their work was ineffective. Why would a Fijian man who has been eating ika bula for traditional occasions since childhood suddenly stop because some white guy who spent three days in his village told him to? Why do international conservation organizations often ask Indigenous people to halt their traditional and sustainable practices instead of focusing on larger issues at play, such as the bycatch of giant fishing vessels? I went into conservation to answer the call to better our planet. People like me who want to dedicate their career to help this earth and all of its species will not accomplish anything by allowing any sort of continuance of traditional conservation. Most of our current models of international conservation are dated and ineffective. If we want to make real change, we need to change our mindsets. We need to challenge current conservation practice. The village of Naceva, Beqa, Fiji on a cloudy day. Image courtesy of Audrey Moreng. Some of international conservation today still takes on a new form of colonialism. Colonialism is the exploitation of people, often Indigenous, by a foreign power. It usually involves taking resources, making the colonizer more powerful, all while furthering&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2023/05/its-time-to-embrace-community-led-conservation-vs-the-colonial-kind-commentary/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
										<doi>https://doi.org/10.66709/news-268593</doi>				</item>
						<item>
					<title>‘They have conned us out of our lands’: Conflict brews in Peru as Mennonite settlers clear forest</title>
					<link>https://news.mongabay.com/2023/04/they-have-conned-us-out-of-our-lands-conflict-brews-in-peru-as-mennonite-settlements-clear-forest/</link>
					<comments>https://news.mongabay.com/2023/04/they-have-conned-us-out-of-our-lands-conflict-brews-in-peru-as-mennonite-settlements-clear-forest/#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>14 Apr 2023 01:40:01 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Yvette Sierra Praeli]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Morgan Erickson-Davis]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2023/04/14012801/0413-truintan-header-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.mongabay.com/?p=267494</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Chasing Deforestation and Forest Trackers]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Amazon, Atlantic Forest, Latin America, Peru, and South America]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Agriculture, Biodiversity, Cattle, Colonialism, Environment, Forest Loss, Forests, Green, Habitat Loss, Industrial Agriculture, Land Grabbing, Land Rights, Mongabay Data Studio, Plantations, Rainforests, Ranching, Soy, and Tropical Forests]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[Jacobo, a Mennonite farmer who preferred only his fist name be used, had just begun to explain why he left Belize to settle in the Peruvian town of Tiruntá when five other members of his colony hopped out of a pickup truck to interrupt his story. “We don’t want to give any information,” said one [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[Jacobo, a Mennonite farmer who preferred only his fist name be used, had just begun to explain why he left Belize to settle in the Peruvian town of Tiruntá when five other members of his colony hopped out of a pickup truck to interrupt his story. “We don’t want to give any information,” said one of them. The person who interrupted was later identified as the leader of the Mennonite colony that settled in 2020 in Tiruntán, which is located in the district of Padre Márquez in Peru’s Loreto region. Members of the Mennonite colony near Tiruntán block reporters&#8217; access to a road hewn recently through the rainforest. Image by Hugo Alejos. The leader, who did not identify himself, later relented and told Mongabay reporters that his group, the Gnadenhoff Reinlaender Benboya Agricultural Christian Mennonite Colony Association, began settling the region around Tiruntán in 2020. His is not the only Mennonite group colonizing this part of Peru. In Masisea, in the Ucayali region, a Mennonite colony of Bolivian origin established a settlement in 2017. In Tierra Blanca, in Peru’s Loreto region, three additional Mennonite colonies —Wanderland, Österreich, and Providencia— arrived the same year. All of these colonies are under investigation for having illegally cleared forest in the Peruvian Amazon. In regard to the colony that settled near Tiruntán, Mongabay reporters viewed a document from the Specialized Environmental Prosecutor’s Office dated October 10, 2022. The document specifies that, according to a report issued by the National Forest and Wildlife Service of&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2023/04/they-have-conned-us-out-of-our-lands-conflict-brews-in-peru-as-mennonite-settlements-clear-forest/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
										<wfw:commentRss>https://news.mongabay.com/2023/04/they-have-conned-us-out-of-our-lands-conflict-brews-in-peru-as-mennonite-settlements-clear-forest/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
										<doi>https://doi.org/10.66709/news-267494</doi>				</item>
						<item>
					<title>Expansion of Mennonite farmland in Bolivia encroaches on Indigenous land</title>
					<link>https://news.mongabay.com/2023/04/expansion-of-mennonite-farmland-in-bolivia-encroaches-on-indigenous-land/</link>
					<comments>https://news.mongabay.com/2023/04/expansion-of-mennonite-farmland-in-bolivia-encroaches-on-indigenous-land/#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>03 Apr 2023 23:57:46 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Iván Paredes Tamayo]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Morgan Erickson-Davis]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2023/04/03222526/menonitas-portada-bolivia-1200x800-1-768x512.jpeg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.mongabay.com/?p=267188</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Forest Trackers]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Atlantic Forest, Bolivia, Latin America, and South America]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Agriculture, Biodiversity, Cattle, Colonialism, Dry Forests, Environment, Fires, Forest Loss, Forests, Green, Habitat Loss, Indigenous Peoples, Indigenous Reserves, Indigenous Rights, Industrial Agriculture, Land Rights, Plantations, Ranching, Soy, and Tropical Forests]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[Life goes at its own pace in the town of Chihuahua, where the modern mixes with Mennonite traditions. To one side, horse-drawn carts pull up at a plot of land that stands in the middle of the plain. To the other, an almost-new car parks in front of a chalet-style house. Such is life on [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[Life goes at its own pace in the town of Chihuahua, where the modern mixes with Mennonite traditions. To one side, horse-drawn carts pull up at a plot of land that stands in the middle of the plain. To the other, an almost-new car parks in front of a chalet-style house. Such is life on this Mennonite colony located in the eastern Bolivian municipality of Cuatro Cañadas. The colony’s 280 families are considered rebels by other Mennonites, having drifted from the denomination’s strict way of life, which forbids the use of many forms of modern technology. The town’s streets are lined with heavy machinery; residents, many of whom have forgone the traditional Mennonite dress, walk around with mobile phones in their hands. However, like those of other Mennonite communities in Latin America, Chihuahua’s Mennonite families are masters of agribusiness and soy cultivation — and are continually expanding their industrial farms. An industrial crop field expands near Lomerío Indigenous Territory. Image by Edwin Caballero. Mennonites first began settling in Bolivia in the 1950s, primarily in the department of Santa Cruz. This region of Bolivia holds more than two-thirds of country’s cultivated land and is characterized by large-scale industrial agriculture of commodity crops destined for international markets. Today, Bolivia’s Mennonite population numbers around 150,000. The Mennonite colony of Chihuahua was founded in 1989 and lies 132 kilometers (82 miles) from the nearest large city of Santa Cruz de la Sierra. Access to the colony is strictly controlled; each entry point to Chihuahua&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2023/04/expansion-of-mennonite-farmland-in-bolivia-encroaches-on-indigenous-land/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
										<wfw:commentRss>https://news.mongabay.com/2023/04/expansion-of-mennonite-farmland-in-bolivia-encroaches-on-indigenous-land/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
										<doi>https://doi.org/10.66709/news-267188</doi>				</item>
						<item>
					<title>Indigenous communities and Mennonite colonies clash in Colombia</title>
					<link>https://news.mongabay.com/2023/03/indigenous-communities-and-mennonite-colonies-clash-in-colombia/</link>
					<comments>https://news.mongabay.com/2023/03/indigenous-communities-and-mennonite-colonies-clash-in-colombia/#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>29 Mar 2023 00:35:33 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Natalia Brito]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Morgan Erickson-Davis]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2023/03/29002103/DSC_0399-1200x800-1-768x512.jpeg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.mongabay.com/?p=266941</guid>

					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Colombia, Latin America, and South America]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Agriculture, Colonialism, Environment, Forest Loss, Forests, Green, Habitat Loss, Indigenous Peoples, Indigenous Reserves, Indigenous Rights, Industrial Agriculture, Land Rights, and Soy]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[In the first half of the 20th century, Mennonite communities fled Europe for South America and, over the intervening decades, established large colonies in Latin American countries such as Mexico, Argentina, Paraguay, Peru and Bolivia. In 2015, three colonies arrived in Colombia, attracting controversy due to deforestation for large-scale agriculture in protected areas and Indigenous [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[In the first half of the 20th century, Mennonite communities fled Europe for South America and, over the intervening decades, established large colonies in Latin American countries such as Mexico, Argentina, Paraguay, Peru and Bolivia. In 2015, three colonies arrived in Colombia, attracting controversy due to deforestation for large-scale agriculture in protected areas and Indigenous territories. Leaders of the Barrulia, Tsabilonia, and Itwitsulibo Indigenous communities, located in Colombia’s Meta department, told the Mongabay Latam/Rutas del Conflicto reporting team that Mennonite colony members and other individuals have threated and intimidated them in an attempt to force Indigenous communities off their land and stop them from reclaiming land already lost. Several of these leaders requested anonymity due to safety concerns. Satellite data and imagery visualized on Global Forest Watch show tree cover loss associated with large-scale agriculture and road-building occurring since 2015 in the area of the Liviney Mennonite Colony, located in Meta’s Puerto Gaitán municipality. Clearance appears to be ongoing, with agricultural expansion cutting into forest in as recently as the third week of March. Satellite imagery from Planet Labs captured February 2023 shows large agricultural field associated with the Liveny Mennonite Colony. “They have bought new land and they cut wood where our ancestors were,” said an Indigenous resident who requested their name be withheld. Alba Rubiela, the leader of the Indigenous Sikuani community of Barrulia, told reporters she requested protection of her community’s territory in 2017 from the Colombian National Land Agency (known by its Spanish acronym, ANT). According&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2023/03/indigenous-communities-and-mennonite-colonies-clash-in-colombia/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
										<wfw:commentRss>https://news.mongabay.com/2023/03/indigenous-communities-and-mennonite-colonies-clash-in-colombia/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
										<doi>https://doi.org/10.66709/news-266941</doi>				</item>
						<item>
					<title>Mennonite colonies linked to deforestation of Indigenous territories and protected areas in Paraguay</title>
					<link>https://news.mongabay.com/2023/03/mennonite-colonies-linked-to-deforestation-of-indigenous-territories-and-protected-areas-in-paraguay/</link>
					<comments>https://news.mongabay.com/2023/03/mennonite-colonies-linked-to-deforestation-of-indigenous-territories-and-protected-areas-in-paraguay/#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>24 Mar 2023 00:10:04 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Aldo Benítez]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Morgan Erickson-Davis]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2023/03/23235018/DJI_0972-1200x800-1-768x512.jpeg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.mongabay.com/?p=266832</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Forest Trackers]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Atlantic Forest, Latin America, Paraguay, and South America]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Agriculture, Biodiversity, Cattle, Colonialism, Dry Forests, Environment, Fires, Forest Loss, Forests, Green, Habitat Loss, Indigenous Peoples, Indigenous Reserves, Indigenous Rights, Industrial Agriculture, Land Rights, Mongabay Data Studio, Plantations, Ranching, Soy, and Tropical Forests]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[ASUNCIÓN, Paraguay — In the middle of the Paraguayan portion of the Upper Parana Atlantic Forest, a paved road leads to the Mbya Indigenous community of Pindo’i. Roads in the area are usually unpaved and uneven, and in the rainy season it’s almost impossible to use them due to mud. But this road is different. [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[ASUNCIÓN, Paraguay — In the middle of the Paraguayan portion of the Upper Parana Atlantic Forest, a paved road leads to the Mbya Indigenous community of Pindo’i. Roads in the area are usually unpaved and uneven, and in the rainy season it’s almost impossible to use them due to mud. But this road is different. A sign posted over where the road begins reads “Sommerfeld Colony — Welcome — Private land and roads.” It’s a Mennonite colony whose families use the road to move cattle, soy, corn or wheat they grow in their cropland that surrounds the Indigenous community. The road that leads into Sommerfeld Colony. Image by Mario Silvero. Satellite data and imagery from Global Forest Watch show clearing associated with large agricultural fields whittling away at already-fragmented tracts of primary forest in the Pindo’I Indigenous Territory over the past several years. Cristino Benítez, district leader of the National Forest Institute (INFONA), confirmed the data. “We have checked and the new clearings are happening inside the Pindo’i reserve,” Benítez said. Satellite data show large swaths of Pindo&#8217;I Indigenous Territory — as well as neighboring Sa Juan CheiroAra Poty Yhovy Indigenous Territory — were deforested between 2001 and 2021. Considered one of the most biologically important and endangered ecosystems in the world, the Upper Paraná Atlantic Forest encompasses portions of Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay and hosts multitudes of species, including some found nowhere else in the world. In addition, more Indigenous communities reportedly live in Paraguay’s portion of the Paraná&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2023/03/mennonite-colonies-linked-to-deforestation-of-indigenous-territories-and-protected-areas-in-paraguay/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
										<wfw:commentRss>https://news.mongabay.com/2023/03/mennonite-colonies-linked-to-deforestation-of-indigenous-territories-and-protected-areas-in-paraguay/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
										<doi>https://doi.org/10.66709/news-266832</doi>				</item>
						<item>
					<title>Debunking the colonial myth of the ‘African Eden’: Q&#038;A with author Guillaume Blanc</title>
					<link>https://news.mongabay.com/2022/09/debunking-the-colonial-myth-of-the-african-eden-qa-with-author-guillaume-blanc/</link>
					<comments>https://news.mongabay.com/2022/09/debunking-the-colonial-myth-of-the-african-eden-qa-with-author-guillaume-blanc/#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>23 Sep 2022 08:00:01 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Malavika Vyawahare]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Latoya Abulu]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[africa]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2022/09/22153224/cattle-herder-south-sudan-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.mongabay.com/?p=260596</guid>

					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Africa, East Africa, and Ethiopia]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Books, Colonialism, Colonization, Conservation, Environment, Environmental Law, Environmental Refugees, Governance, Indigenous Peoples, Indigenous Reserves, Indigenous Rights, Interviews, Land Conflict, Land Rights, Land Use Change, Politics, Racism, Social Justice, and Tourism]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[As the clamor to protect vast portions of Earth’s lands and waters grows louder to meet upcoming international goals, a newly translated book critically examines the first principles of global conservation in Africa and ways forward to avoid past pitfalls. According to Guillaume Blanc, author of The Invention of Green Colonialism, one of these pitfalls [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[As the clamor to protect vast portions of Earth’s lands and waters grows louder to meet upcoming international goals, a newly translated book critically examines the first principles of global conservation in Africa and ways forward to avoid past pitfalls. According to Guillaume Blanc, author of The Invention of Green Colonialism, one of these pitfalls is the idea of an “African Eden” that casts an entire continent as the site of pristine wilderness instead of a region populated and shaped by humans for millennia. Blanc, who specializes in environmental history at Rennes 2 University in France, lays bare the history and contradictions of the European project to secure and, at the same time, exploit Africa’s land during direct colonial rule. He goes on to show how these contradictions continue to play out into the present. Across the continent, pre- and postcolonialism, people who lived in areas designated as national parks or other conserved areas faced expulsion because they were treated as a threat rather than collaborators in the conservation project. The scope of the challenges we face — from biodiversity loss to climate change — is global, but that doesn’t mean the solutions must originate from a clique of NGOs or international experts, Blanc says. Guillaume Blanc, author of “The Invention of Green Colonialism.” Image courtesy of Guillaume Blanc. Blanc challenges readers not to fall into a conspiratorial mode but rather to be clear-eyed about the past. He proposes a more pronounced and transparent break from conservation’s colonial history. In&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2022/09/debunking-the-colonial-myth-of-the-african-eden-qa-with-author-guillaume-blanc/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
										<wfw:commentRss>https://news.mongabay.com/2022/09/debunking-the-colonial-myth-of-the-african-eden-qa-with-author-guillaume-blanc/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
										<doi>https://doi.org/10.66709/news-260596</doi>				</item>
						<item>
					<title>Indigenous-led report warns against ‘simplistic take on conservation’</title>
					<link>https://news.mongabay.com/2022/03/indigenous-led-report-warns-against-simplistic-take-on-conservation/</link>
					<comments>https://news.mongabay.com/2022/03/indigenous-led-report-warns-against-simplistic-take-on-conservation/#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>08 Mar 2022 04:19:48 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Sheryl Lee Tian Tong]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Latoya Abulu]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2021/08/16133316/41790502781_f12f955608_k-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.mongabay.com/?p=253484</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Indigenous Peoples and Conservation]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Asia and Southeast Asia]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[30x30 conservation target, Activism, Biodiversity, Biodiversity Hotspots, Business, Carbon Offsets, Certification, Climate Change, climate finance, Colonialism, Community-based Conservation, Conservation, Conservation Finance, Conservation Solutions, Culture, Ecosystem Services, Ecosystems, Environment, Environmental Law, Environmental Policy, Forestry, Forests, Funding, Global Environmental Crisis, Governance, Human Rights, Indigenous Peoples, Indigenous Rights, Land Rights, Monitoring, Nature-based climate solutions, NGOs, Payments For Ecosystem Services, Politics, Protected Areas, Protests, Rainforests, Redd, Restoration, Saving Rainforests, Solutions, Traditional People, and Tropical Forests]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[Conservation needs to adopt a human-rights based approach to deal effectively and equitably with the twin crises of climate change and biodiversity loss, according to a new report co-authored by more than 20 Indigenous and community organizations across Asia. The report, published by the NGO Rights and Resources Initiative (RRI) in February, says that without [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[Conservation needs to adopt a human-rights based approach to deal effectively and equitably with the twin crises of climate change and biodiversity loss, according to a new report co-authored by more than 20 Indigenous and community organizations across Asia. The report, published by the NGO Rights and Resources Initiative (RRI) in February, says that without meaningful consultation of and participation by local communities, top-down conservation solutions such as “30 by 30” will only deepen inequalities while leading to the prosecution of Indigenous groups. Indigenous leaders and activists gathered in the streets of Glasgow, Scotland, during COP26. The climate protest march attracted 100,000 people. Image courtesy of Rainforest Foundation Norway. The 30 by 30 plan, a proposal to conserve 30% of Earth’s land and sea areas by 2030 through “area-based conservation measures” like protected national parks, has seen a wave of support in recent years. But its emphasis on spatial targets has drawn skepticism and concern from some Indigenous leaders, who called it a “simplistic take on conservation” in the report. With country representatives set to gather and discuss the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework in China this coming May — of which the 30 by 30 plan is a cornerstone — the proposal and its focus on spatial targets has increasingly come under the spotlight. “In an environment where identity and territorial rights are either not recognized or ignored,” the use of such targets “[raises] serious human rights concerns,” the report said. See related: New IPCC climate report stresses importance of&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2022/03/indigenous-led-report-warns-against-simplistic-take-on-conservation/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
										<doi>https://doi.org/10.66709/news-253484</doi>				</item>
						<item>
					<title>Reckoning with elitism and racism in conservation: Q&#038;A with Colleen Begg</title>
					<link>https://news.mongabay.com/2021/06/reckoning-with-elitism-and-racism-in-conservation-qa-with-colleen-begg/</link>
					<comments>https://news.mongabay.com/2021/06/reckoning-with-elitism-and-racism-in-conservation-qa-with-colleen-begg/#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>28 Jun 2021 03:38:41 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Rhett Ayers Butler]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Rhett Butler]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2021/06/26221323/African-Wild-dog-header-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.mongabay.com/?p=243990</guid>

					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Africa, Mozambique, and Southern Africa]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Animals, Big Cats, Carnivores, Cats, Colonialism, Community-based Conservation, Conservation leadership, COVID-19, Culture, Ecotourism, Education, Gender, Human-wildlife Conflict, Interviews, Interviews with conservation players, Lions, Mammals, Racism, Social Justice, transforming conservation, Wildlife, and Women In Science]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[In the wake of George Floyd&#8217;s killing last year, long-running concerns about discrimination, colonial legacy, privilege, and power dynamics in conservation have gained prominence, forcing many organizations in the sector to reckon with their origins and how they operate. Current and historic injustices against Indigenous Peoples and local communities in the name of establishing protected [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[In the wake of George Floyd&#8217;s killing last year, long-running concerns about discrimination, colonial legacy, privilege, and power dynamics in conservation have gained prominence, forcing many organizations in the sector to reckon with their origins and how they operate. Current and historic injustices against Indigenous Peoples and local communities in the name of establishing protected areas, racism and abusive practices within institutions, representation in leadership, and disparities in funding and advancement opportunities are but a few of the areas that have drawn particular attention over the past year. But while there is certainly an uptick in reflection and discussion, it&#8217;s unclear whether this period will result in lasting, meaningful change or if the sector will revert back to business-as-usual. Colleen Begg, a South African conservationist who co-founded the Niassa Carnivore Project in Mozambique, says she isn&#8217;t sure either, but meaningful transformation won&#8217;t come on its own &#8212; it will require dedicated and sustained efforts to drive real change. &#8220;I have had more conversations about privilege, racism, and sexism in conservation in the last three years than before but there is still such a long way to go,&#8221; Begg told Mongabay during a recent interview. &#8220;To me conservation really is one of the last bastions of racism and exclusion on the continent and it is very resistant to change.&#8221; Colleen Begg As a white South African who has never lived outside Africa and has worked in conservation for 30 years, Begg has seen how race, gender, and privilege play out in&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2021/06/reckoning-with-elitism-and-racism-in-conservation-qa-with-colleen-begg/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
										<wfw:commentRss>https://news.mongabay.com/2021/06/reckoning-with-elitism-and-racism-in-conservation-qa-with-colleen-begg/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
										<doi>https://doi.org/10.66709/news-243990</doi>				</item>
						<item>
					<title>Pension and endowment funds linked to conflict-plagued oil palm in DRC</title>
					<link>https://news.mongabay.com/2021/03/pension-and-endowment-funds-linked-to-conflict-plagued-oil-palm-in-drc/</link>
					<comments>https://news.mongabay.com/2021/03/pension-and-endowment-funds-linked-to-conflict-plagued-oil-palm-in-drc/#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>22 Mar 2021 14:09:17 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[John Cannon]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[John Cannon]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2021/03/22135436/artisanalpalmoil-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.mongabay.com/?p=240776</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Land rights and extractives]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Africa, Central Africa, Congo Basin, and Democratic Republic Of Congo]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Activism, Agriculture, Agrochemicals, Colonialism, Community Development, Community-based Conservation, Conservation, Culture, Deforestation, Environment, Food, Food Industry, Forestry, Forests, Green, Human Rights, Indigenous Peoples, Indigenous Rights, Industrial Agriculture, Land Rights, NGOs, Palm Oil, Rainforests, Traditional People, and Tropical Forests]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[Well-known investment funds in the U.S., Europe and South Africa are financing a set of oil palm plantations that have been at the center of more than a century of discord in the northeastern quadrant of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), according to a new report from the Oakland Institute, a California-based policy think [&#8230;]]]>
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							<![CDATA[Well-known investment funds in the U.S., Europe and South Africa are financing a set of oil palm plantations that have been at the center of more than a century of discord in the northeastern quadrant of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), according to a new report from the Oakland Institute, a California-based policy think tank. People from communities around the Boteka, Lokutu and Yaligimba plantations managed by Plantations et Huileries du Congo (PHC) say that their ancestors’ land was stolen from them for a massive palm oil-producing plantation when Belgian colonial officials were in control. The oil palm concessions cover more than 107,000 hectares (264,000 acres) in three separate locations in DRC. Today, residents say their rights to the land and their livelihoods continue to be sidelined in favor of profits sought by the company and outside investors. The Oakland Institute and other organizations say workers on the plantations are paid little for arduous and dangerous work, including exposure to pesticides used to keep the rows of palms producing their oil-bearing fruit. They have also raised concerns about the nutrient-rich runoff from the plantations that enters local tributaries of the Congo River. A map shows the locations of the three oil palm plantations in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Image courtesy of the Oakland Institute. Despite the publicity around these issues, several major foundations, endowments and pension funds based in the United States, the United Kingdom and South Africa have continued to invest in funds that support PHC’s operations.&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2021/03/pension-and-endowment-funds-linked-to-conflict-plagued-oil-palm-in-drc/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
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										<doi>https://doi.org/10.66709/news-240776</doi>				</item>
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					<title>Melina Laboucan-Massimo: Catalyzing an Indigenous-led just energy transition</title>
					<link>https://news.mongabay.com/2021/03/catalyzing-an-indigenous-led-just-energy-transition-qa-with-melina-laboucan-massimo/</link>
					<comments>https://news.mongabay.com/2021/03/catalyzing-an-indigenous-led-just-energy-transition-qa-with-melina-laboucan-massimo/#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>22 Mar 2021 13:41:00 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Rhett Ayers Butler]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Rhett Butler]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2021/03/19034519/DSC01043-768x512.jpeg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.mongabay.com/?p=240715</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Finding Common Ground and Nature conservation Influencers]]>
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											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Canada]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Activism, Clean Energy, Climate Justice, Colonialism, Conservation, COVID-19, Culture, Energy, Environment, Human Rights, Indigenous Peoples, Indigenous Rights, Interviews, Interviews with conservation players, Racism, Renewable Energy, Social Justice, Solar Power, and Technology]]>
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											<description>
							<![CDATA[In the past decade, the term “Just Transition” has gained more widespread understanding among climate campaigners and environmental advocates. A Just Transition is the idea that the shift toward low-carbon economies needs to be fair and inclusive, meaning it considers the people who will be most impacted by abandoning fossil fuels. Among the groups most [&#8230;]]]>
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							<![CDATA[In the past decade, the term “Just Transition” has gained more widespread understanding among climate campaigners and environmental advocates. A Just Transition is the idea that the shift toward low-carbon economies needs to be fair and inclusive, meaning it considers the people who will be most impacted by abandoning fossil fuels. Among the groups most likely to be affected by the green energy transition are Indigenous communities, especially those living in remote areas where they’ve often been pushed by governments. Indigenous communities may be disproportionately dependent on fossil fuels for their day-to-day energy needs and livelihoods, particularly in places where government policies and incentives mean that extractive industries account for a large share of local jobs. Curbing oil and gas drilling, mining, and other heavy industries would thus cause significant social and economic disruptions in places that currently have few other opportunities and are already struggling with the impacts of colonization, including systemic discrimination, unfulfilled treaty obligations, and legacy traumas stemming from violence, oppression, and stolen land. Aerial view of Syncrude Aurora tar sands mine in the boreal forest north of Fort McMurray, northern Alberta. Image © Jiri Rezac/Greenpeace. Paradoxically, it is Indigenous communities that are also most likely to bear the brunt of the impacts of climate change. Rapid warming in places like Alaska and northern Canada are already triggering dramatic changes for ecosystems, with immediate consequences for Indigenous communities, including Native traditions and cultures, food security, and the very existence of their villages and settlements due to rising&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2021/03/catalyzing-an-indigenous-led-just-energy-transition-qa-with-melina-laboucan-massimo/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
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					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
										<doi>https://doi.org/10.66709/news-240715</doi>				</item>
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