plantations are not forests position paper

This position paper by Friends of the Earth International argues that tree plantations are monoculture agricultural systems, not forests, and that they cause significant biological, social, and cultural damage globally. The document criticizes the use of plantations as carbon sinks under the Kyoto Protocol and denounces the role of international organizations like the FAO in legitimizing these systems.

• Tree plantations are described as uniform agricultural monocultures of single-species trees of the same age that consume high levels of water and soil nutrients. They often replace natural ecosystems or agro-ecological systems, leading to negative impacts such as the displacement of communities, loss of biological diversity, violation of rights, and the alteration of hydrological cycles, with women being particularly affected.
• The document asserts that the global area of tree plantations is expected to increase by 30% by 2030 according to FAO data, driven by demand for cellulose pulp, timber, oils, and agrofuels. It notes a trend of forestry and paper companies from Europe and North America relocating to the Global South, where they obstruct land redistribution and democratization.
• The paper criticizes the Kyoto Protocol for treating large-scale tree plantations as carbon sinks, arguing this is a "fictional solution" due to uncertainties regarding the permanence and additionality of the carbon absorbed. It claims this system allows polluting companies in the North to continue CO2 emissions while funding plantations in the South.
• The document accuses the FAO of erroneously classifying plantations as forests and promoting their benefits despite evidence to the contrary. It also highlights a specific Kyoto Protocol decision (11/CP.7) that allows areas temporarily unstocked due to human intervention to be regarded as forests.

APA

Friends of the Earth International (2010). plantations are not forests position paper. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/plantaciones-final-ingles.pdf

Chicago

Friends of the Earth International. plantations are not forests position paper. 2010. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/plantaciones-final-ingles.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Friends of the Earth International |title=plantations are not forests position paper |date=July 2010 |url=https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/plantaciones-final-ingles.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{friendsoftheearthinternational2010plantations, author = {{Friends of the Earth International}}, title = {{plantations are not forests position paper}}, publisher = {Friends of the Earth International}, year = {2010}, month = jul, url = {https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/plantaciones-final-ingles.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }