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The document traces the history of international efforts to combat land degradation, from the 1972 Stockholm Conference to the establishment of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). It details the shift toward 'land degradation neutrality' (LDN), a goal integrated into SDG target 15.3, which aims to balance productive land loss with recovery. The paper identifies critical barriers to LDN implementation, including insecure land tenure, gender inequality in land ownership, lack of national coordination, and insufficient funding, while highlighting initiatives like the Great Green Wall and the LDN Fund.

The document reports that improvements in forest governance are too slow to measurably reduce deforestation, noting that illegal deforestation increased from 49% to 69% between 2014 and 2020. While some progress has been made in establishing environmental frameworks and demand-side regulations, systemic challenges such as corruption, weak rule of law, and a failure to legally recognize IPLC land rights persist. The report highlights that weak forest governance causes over USD 17 billion in annual economic losses and calls for accelerated action to address legal weaknesses and enhance the participation of women and IPLCs in decision-making.

The report compiles academic articles, toolkits, and policy documents focusing on the role of women in artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM). It highlights systemic marginalization, including restricted access to high-paying roles, finance, and land, while noting that ASM often provides a critical source of income and agency for women. The bibliography emphasizes the need for gender-responsive policies and formalization strategies to prevent further marginalization of women.

The document argues that collaborative social accountability—focused on dialogue, trust-building, and inclusive participation—is often more effective than confrontational or purely legal anti-corruption approaches in NRM. Through case studies in Uganda, Nepal, and Vietnam, it demonstrates that empowering marginalized groups, utilizing ICT for monitoring, and conducting political economy analyses can increase state responsiveness and reduce illegal resource extraction.

The document examines how corruption and elite capture undermine the equitable distribution of conservation benefits in Kenya. It analyzes three primary conservation approaches—protected wildlife areas, community conservancies, and community forest associations—identifying systemic issues such as revenue leakages, lack of transparency in tourism operator accounts, and the failure to operationalize legal benefit-sharing requirements. The report argues that while legal reforms since 2010 have created a framework for equity, the absence of subsidiary regulations and the persistence of institutional silos allow corruption to thrive. It recommends the adoption of integrated revenue systems, the enforcement of subsidiary guidelines, and the use of multi-stakeholder platforms to improve accountability and ensure that local communities receive fair compensation and benefits.

The CESCR referenced climate change in 81% of its state reporting outputs in 2020 and 2021, focusing on mitigation policies, extractive activities, climate finance, and adaptation measures. The Committee specifically urged developed states to increase the ambition of their emissions targets and questioned the compatibility of continued fossil fuel use with human rights obligations. Additionally, the CESCR addressed the 'right to science' in General Comment No. 25 and developed a draft General Comment on Land, emphasizing the nexus between land rights and the climate emergency.

The report examines the legal and operational challenges facing Community Protected Areas (CPAs) in Cambodia. It highlights critical issues such as insecure land tenure, complex and slow establishment processes, limited economic opportunities, and a lack of clear mechanisms for dispute resolution and benefit sharing. The document argues that while the legal framework recognizes community roles, it often lacks the specificity and flexibility needed to empower local and indigenous communities effectively, leaving them dependent on NGOs and vulnerable to powerful private interests.

The report examines how a 'just transition'—ensuring the costs of moving to low-carbon societies are fairly distributed—can be applied in the Global South. Through studies in nine countries, it identifies systemic barriers such as high rates of informal labour, insecure land tenure, and a lack of socio-economic data. It argues that international climate finance is currently too focused on technical transitions and must be broadened to support the social and economic needs of affected communities, including re-skilling and social safety nets.

The report examines the 'just transition' in Malawi, focusing on agriculture and forestry. While Malawi's climate policies do not explicitly mention 'just transition', some elements of the NDC and Malawi 2063 align with it. However, risks exist, such as the potential for agricultural mechanisation and commercialisation to marginalise smallholders without secure land tenure. In forestry, efforts to curb illegal charcoal production may cause energy poverty and livelihood loss for the poor if alternative energy and income sources are not provided. The report emphasizes that external support is critical, as 78% of the NDC's emissions reductions are conditional.

The document argues that the extractivist model, driven by capitalism and patriarchy, disproportionately impacts women by devaluing their care work and restricting their land tenure rights. It positions Community Forest Management (CFM) as a political tool for gender justice, emphasizing that women's specialized knowledge of biodiversity and their role in social reproduction are essential for territorial defense and food sovereignty. The framework calls for the recognition of women's land rights and active political participation to dismantle patriarchal structures and prevent the privatization of the commons.

The report argues that gender justice is inseparable from community forest management (CFM), as patriarchal and capitalist systems jointly oppress women and degrade the environment. It highlights how extractivism—including agribusiness and mining—displaces women, erodes their ancestral knowledge, and increases violence against them. The document emphasizes that women are central to CFM through their roles in care work, seed preservation, and biodiversity conservation, yet they face systemic barriers to land ownership and decision-making. It calls for the recognition of women's land rights and the valuation of their unpaid care work as fundamental steps toward social and environmental justice.

The document highlights how women, Indigenous peoples, and Dalits in Nepal are disproportionately vulnerable to disasters due to social norms and inequalities, yet are critical, often overlooked actors in disaster risk reduction. It identifies 'transformative DRR' as an approach that addresses the root causes of vulnerability through education, legal advocacy, and multi-stakeholder collaboration. The briefing details the contributions of various organizations—such as the Women-Friendly Disaster Management group and ProPublic—and recommends that decision-makers align national laws with international human rights frameworks, ensure accountability for infrastructure projects, and provide better resources and visibility for grassroots women defenders.

The document highlights how women environmental defenders, Indigenous peoples, and rural communities in the Philippines combat disaster vulnerability by mobilizing against environmental destruction and structural inequalities. It identifies these actors as essential for 'transformative DRR'—an approach that moves beyond traditional hazard mitigation to address the root causes of risk, such as land tenure insecurity and gender inequality. The brief provides recommendations for decision-makers and stakeholders to support these defenders through human rights compliance, accountability for resource extraction, and expanded educational opportunities.

The document examines a legislative report by Senator Carlos Fávaro that favors Bill (PL) no 510/2021 over Bill (PL) no 2633/2020. The authors argue that the proposed changes primarily benefit medium and large land occupants while failing to assist small farmers, potentially incentivizing illegal deforestation and increasing land conflicts in Brazil, particularly in the Amazon.

The study finds that while forest fires in the Brazilian Amazon are not systematically used as a direct first step to clear vegetation—with only 11% of fire-affected areas being deforested within three years—they often serve as a leading indicator of imminent deforestation in the surrounding vicinity. This association is significantly stronger in rural settlements and occupied public lands, suggesting fires may facilitate land grabbing. Regionally, the link between fire and nearby deforestation has strengthened in states such as Acre, Amazonas, Pará, Rondônia, and Roraima, peaking in 2017.

The study finds that while the direct local conversion of degraded areas into deforested land is low (10% of total deforestation), there is a strong regional association: 30% of total deforestation occurs within one kilometer of previously degraded areas. This association is most frequent in medium or large private properties, rural settlements, and undesignated areas. The authors argue that degradation alerts can serve as a leading indicator for regional forest risk, suggesting that law enforcement should target both degraded areas and their immediate surroundings, particularly on private lands.

Between 2013 and 2020, approximately 42% of fire hotspots in the Brazilian Amazon occurred in previously undisturbed forests, affecting an estimated 18,000 square kilometers annually. While only 11% of fire-affected forest areas transitioned to clear-cut deforestation within three years, fire serves as a strong regional indicator of risk, with high rates of subsequent deforestation occurring in the surrounding areas. This association is particularly strong in rural settlements and public land holdings, where fire may facilitate land grabbing. Regional analysis shows an intensification of this fire-deforestation link in states such as Acre, Amazonas, Pará, Rondônia, and Roraima, especially around 2017.

The report analyzes the spatial and temporal links between forest degradation and deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon from 2017 to 2020. Using INPE's DETER and PRODES systems, it finds that while direct local conversion of degraded areas into deforested land is low (10%), a significant portion of deforestation (30%) occurs within 1 km of previously degraded areas. The study highlights that degradation is more prevalent in medium and large private properties than deforestation is, suggesting that degradation can serve as a regional risk indicator for future deforestation and that policy efforts should be targeted based on land tenure categories.

The document examines the intersection of gender justice and food sovereignty, arguing that the industrial food system relies on the patriarchal exploitation of women. It advocates for agroecology and feminist economics to redistribute care work and ensure women's autonomy over land and seeds.

The document examines the intersection of food sovereignty, agroecology, and gender justice, arguing that the industrial agribusiness model relies on the patriarchal exploitation of women's labor. It advocates for a transition to agroecology and feminist economies to ensure equitable access to land, seeds, and resources, while recognizing and redistributing unpaid care work.