3405 foei poverty[48pgs] 2 eng (Page 1)

This report by Friends of the Earth International (FoEI) argues that rural poverty is inextricably linked to environmental degradation and the imposition of neoliberal economic models. It contends that the exploitation of natural resources by transnational corporations and the policies of international financial institutions (IFIs) exacerbate poverty, while community-led management of natural resources offers a sustainable path toward poverty eradication.

• There is a critical link between environmental degradation and rural poverty, with approximately 70 percent of the world's poor living in rural areas and depending on local environments for survival.
• Neoliberal economic globalization, characterized by trade liberalization and privatization, is identified as a driver of environmental devastation and poverty for resource-dependent people.
• Large-scale monocultures, such as soy, oil palm, and pulp plantations, are the primary threats to forests, which 100 million people rely on for survival resources like food, medicine, and income.
• Industrial fishing and the conversion of mangroves into shrimp farms for export jeopardize the livelihoods of coastal communities, as seen in the Niger Delta and Togo.
• International financial institutions (IFIs) like the World Bank and IMF are criticized for imposing structural adjustment packages and funding mega-projects, such as the Nam Theun 2 dam in Laos, which displace people and destroy livelihoods.
• Corporate-driven agriculture, including the promotion of genetically-modified (GM) crops and export-oriented models, is argued to undermine food security and local genetic diversity.
• Community-based resource management and the recognition of environmental rights are presented as effective alternatives for poverty eradication, enabling local people to determine their own sustainable futures.
• Women are disproportionately affected by poverty and environmental degradation, yet they play a central role in food production and resource management, such as in the Periyar Tiger Reserve in India.
• Climate change poses a severe threat to the poorest regions, particularly small island states, which contribute less than 1 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions but are highly vulnerable to sea level rise.
• The report calls for the unconditional cancellation of external debt owed by poor countries and the recognition of an 'ecological debt' owed by industrialized nations for decades of resource exploitation.

APA

Friends of the Earth International (n.d.). 3405 foei poverty[48pgs] 2 eng (Page 1). https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/foei-poverty-all-eng-lr.pdf

Chicago

Friends of the Earth International. 3405 foei poverty[48pgs] 2 eng (Page 1). n.d. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/foei-poverty-all-eng-lr.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Friends of the Earth International |title=3405 foei poverty[48pgs] 2 eng (Page 1) |url=https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/foei-poverty-all-eng-lr.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{friendsoftheearthinternationalnd3405, author = {{Friends of the Earth International}}, title = {{3405 foei poverty[48pgs] 2 eng (Page 1)}}, institution = {Friends of the Earth International}, url = {https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/foei-poverty-all-eng-lr.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }