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The document finds that while some countries have improved their legal frameworks to combat deforestation, implementation remains weak due to corruption, lack of resources, and a failure to recognize the land rights of indigenous peoples and local communities (IPLCs). It highlights a strong correlation between high corruption and forest loss, and notes that illegal conversion for commercial agriculture—specifically palm oil, soy, paper/timber, and cattle—drives much tropical deforestation. While demand-side measures for timber are increasing in the EU, US, and Asia, similar measures for other commodities remain largely voluntary. The report also emphasizes the critical role of IPLCs in carbon storage, noting they manage 17% of total carbon in 64 assessed countries, yet face increasing violence and land grabbing due to insecure tenure.

The report finds that while some countries have strengthened forest laws, overall governance remains weak, particularly in poor nations. Illegal deforestation is endemic, driven by commercial agriculture for palm oil, soy, and beef. Progress in recognizing the land rights of indigenous peoples and local communities (IPLCs) is slow, and the lack of secure tenure contributes to increased violence and land grabbing. The report emphasizes that strong governance and the empowerment of IPLCs are essential for effective forest protection.

The report finds that while some countries have strengthened forest laws, implementation remains slow and often undermined by corruption and a lack of political will. Illegal deforestation is driven largely by commercial agriculture, particularly in Brazil and Indonesia. Progress in recognizing the land rights of indigenous peoples and local communities (IPLCs) is slow, and these groups face increasing violence and criminalization. While some emerging economies in Asia are adopting regulations to curb illegal timber imports, overall forest governance remains fragile, particularly in poorer nations.

The Defenders in Development Campaign urges states and development finance institutions (DFIs) to integrate human rights protections into development projects, noting that defenders of land and environmental rights face extreme risks of violence and criminalization.

The guide highlights corporate human rights abuses in Asia—including land grabs in Malaysia and Sri Lanka, coal power threats to mangroves in Bangladesh, and nuclear risks in Russia and Palestine—to advocate for a UN Binding Treaty on Transnational Corporations. It calls for an enforceable legal mechanism, international grievance systems, and accountability for global supply chains and international finance.

The report argues that Liberia's progressive community forestry model is being hijacked by logging companies and a complicit Forestry Development Authority (FDA). Companies are using secret agreements, financial coercion, and legal loopholes to secure logging rights before communities officially obtain Authorised Forest Community status. This process often involves co-opting local elites and misleading poor, forest-dependent communities, mirroring previous scandals involving Private Use Permits (PUPs). The report highlights the role of Samling Global-linked companies and warns that these practices risk triggering land disputes and deforestation, undermining Liberia's climate commitments to Norway.

The document examines the barriers to expanding geothermal energy in Kenya, noting that while the resource is abundant and central to the country's climate goals, development is slowed by high upfront exploration costs and infrastructure expenses. It highlights political risks such as the financial viability of the offtaker, Kenya Power, and bureaucratic tensions between national and county governments. Socially, the report identifies community opposition due to land relocation and the uneven distribution of benefits, where marginalized local populations bear the environmental and social costs while urban centers and elites receive the energy benefits. It concludes that for geothermal expansion to be sustainable, the government must better mitigate these risks and ensure equitable benefit-sharing.

Global Witness found that logging operations in Papua New Guinea (PNG) frequently violate the Forestry Act, including logging in prohibited areas and ignoring landowner consent. Because China imports a vast majority of PNG's logs but lacks laws against importing illegal timber, its timber sector faces commercial and legal risks in markets like the US and EU. The report recommends that China implement mandatory due diligence for timber imports and that PNG establish a moratorium on new logging permits.

The document argues that while small and medium businesses are critical for formal employment in South Africa, the sector has remained stagnant or declined over the last decade. It critiques the National Development Plan's job creation targets as unrealistic and highlights a significant imbalance in government support, which heavily favors large businesses. The brief proposes a shift toward a 'national social compact' (Quadrant IV) involving economy-wide reforms, including tax incentives for startups, tenure reform in Traditional Authority Areas, telecommunications liberalisation, and the use of competition policy to open market access for small and black-owned businesses.

The document examines Uganda's efforts to integrate gender and climate change considerations into its water sector. It finds that while significant progress has been made in gender-responsive budgeting and women's representation on local water committees, implementation remains weak due to a lack of technical capacity and the persistence of customary gender stereotypes. The link between water and climate change is well-institutionalized, but the intersection of gender and climate change is described as virtually non-existent in terms of funding and representation. The report emphasizes that women's limited land ownership and literacy levels continue to obstruct their effective participation in water management decision-making.

The statement contends that the legal proceedings against Lula da Silva are an extension of a 2016 coup that ousted Dilma Roussef, serving to protect the interests of conservative elites and transnational corporations. It links this political instability to the erosion of social rights, the influence of oil companies like Shell, Exxon, and BP on offshore legislation, and a rise in violence against human rights defenders and social movements in Brazil.

The statement calls for the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues to convene an expert meeting in 2019 and produce a report on redress mechanisms for indigenous peoples affected by conservation activities. It recommends increased collaboration between UN mandates and urges the Convention on Biological Diversity and the IUCN to commit to human rights actions within the post-2020 biodiversity framework.

The report examines the systemic marginalization of women in artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM), where they constitute 30% of the global workforce but are often relegated to low-value, non-digging roles. It identifies key bottlenecks, including lack of access to land, finance, and geological data, as well as cultural taboos and discriminatory legal frameworks. The document argues for gender-mainstreaming in formalization processes, the creation of women-specific financial products, and the strengthening of female miners' associations to improve women's economic independence and influence in the sector.

The document analyzes the macadamia nut industry in Southern Africa, focusing on the disparity between the advanced sector in South Africa and the emerging industries in Malawi and Mozambique. It highlights the barriers smallholder farmers face, such as high entry costs, lack of technical support, and poor infrastructure. While South Africa is a global leader in production, the report argues that a regional value chain is hindered by a lack of cooperation, differing national capacities, and a heavy reliance on exporting nut-in-shell (NIS) to China. It recommends establishing regional industry bodies, improving domestic processing capabilities, and enhancing technical support for smallholders to move beyond raw material exports.

The document argues that the right to participate in public affairs must be centrally linked to self-determination and access to information, particularly regarding environmental decisions and international investment treaties. It highlights the systemic marginalization of rural women and ethnic communities, the criminalization of human rights defenders, and the lack of transparency in Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) mechanisms. CIEL recommends that the guidelines mandate public participation in the initial decision to invite foreign investment, the negotiation of investment contracts, and the settlement of disputes to prevent corporate interests from overriding public interest laws and human rights.

The document outlines the conceptual and practical framework for declaring 'free territories' as an exercise of autonomy and human rights. It provides a strategic approach to resisting the 'extractivist model'—specifically targeting REDD+, mining, fracking, and GMOs—by documenting successful community-led initiatives across Latin America, Europe, Australia, and other regions. The guide emphasizes that these declarations are not merely legal acts but political processes requiring permanent organization, public legitimacy, and the proposal of sustainable alternatives for local development.

The document identifies four critical areas for legal reform to prevent forest conversion: ensuring consistency between sectoral laws, establishing transparent land-title granting processes, formally recognizing customary land rights of local communities and indigenous peoples, and providing detailed implementation and enforcement mechanisms. It warns that legal ambiguity and a lack of stakeholder consultation lead to uncontrolled deforestation, land-tenure conflicts, and the potential for unfair evictions.

The document identifies five critical areas for legal reform to prevent illegal forest conversion: land allocation, clearance permits, conversion timber rules, environmental protections, and community rights. It highlights how contradictory laws, lack of transparency, and failure to recognize customary land tenure lead to uncontrolled deforestation and social conflict. The toolkit uses case studies from nine tropical countries to illustrate legal gaps and provides checklists for policy-makers to ensure comprehensive and enforceable regulations.

The document serves as an overview for a legal toolkit designed to help law-makers address the complexities of forest conversion laws. It identifies five key areas for legal attention: land allocation, clearing permits, timber rules, environmental protection, and community rights. The toolkit is based on an analysis of legal frameworks in nine tropical countries and focuses primarily on the regulation of large-scale projects to balance economic growth with environmental and social protections.

The document argues that timber from forest conversion is becoming a dominant source of global timber trade but often lacks the strict regulatory frameworks applied to selective logging. This creates legal loopholes that companies may exploit to access valuable timber under the guise of land clearance for agriculture, mining, or infrastructure. To mitigate risks of illegality and land-grabbing, the author recommends three essential requirements: clear and detailed rules for the entire supply chain, a definition of legality that incorporates land title and community rights, and full public transparency of data regarding clearance permits and timber volumes.