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This research paper examines the early implementation of decentralization laws in Indonesia, specifically Law No. 22/1999 and Law 25/1999, and their impact on the forestry sector. It analyzes how the shift of power from the central government to districts has led to the emergence of 'district timber regimes' focused on revenue generation, often at the expense of forest conservation and sustainable management.

This case study examines the process of decentralization in Nicaragua, focusing on the transfer of natural resource management responsibilities to municipal governments. It highlights a significant gap between legal attributions and the actual transfer of power and funding from the central government, noting that while grassroots support for local autonomy is high, municipal capacity remains low and central control over revenue-generating resources persists.

This research paper examines the impact of decentralization reforms on environmental accountability and natural resource management in Uganda. It argues that while the legal framework suggests a devolution of power to local governments, actual decision-making authority over protected forests and wildlife remains centralized within line ministries. The author contends that 'collaborative management' schemes are largely advisory and serve to legitimate central government policies rather than empower local citizens, leading to social inequalities and unsustainable environmental outcomes.

This document is a formal notice published in the Government Gazette of South Africa on 7 December 2018. It provides a detailed description of records automatically available from the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) in accordance with Section 15(1) of the Promotion of Access to Information Act, 2000.

This briefing from the Center for International Environmental Law discusses the conceptual and legal framework of community-based property rights (CBPRs), distinguishing them from Western property concepts and state-led decentralization. It argues that the legal recognition of CBPRs is a necessary condition for environmental justice and sustainable development, particularly for indigenous peoples in the Global South.

This document is testimony provided by Robert Housman, a Senior Attorney for the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL), to the Trade Subcommittee of the House of Representatives Committee on Ways and Means on June 21, 1995. The testimony argues for the inclusion of environmental protections in the fast track authority for Chile's accession to the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), asserting that environmental standards are necessary to prevent trade distortions and establish a sustainable template for broader hemispheric integration.

This report chapter argues that secure tenurial rights are a fundamental prerequisite for successful community-based conservation (CBC). It contrasts the failures of state-owned 'public' tenure—which often leads to 'open access' degradation—with the effectiveness of community-based systems that derive legitimacy from local participants. The authors advocate for the state recognition of community perimeters to protect biodiversity and prevent the disenfranchisement of rural populations by domestic and international elites.

This Letter of Agreement (LoA) establishes a collaboration between the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) and the Centre for Resource Management and Environmental Studies (CERMES) at the University of the West Indies. The partnership focuses on integrating the NOAA-CERMES Climate Resilience Enhancement Programme (NCCREP) with the IAI Science, Technology and Policy (STeP) Fellowship program to enhance the interface between science and environmental policy in the Caribbean and Latin America.

This report argues that gender equality is a fundamental prerequisite for achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It examines the historical role of women in UN environmental policies, the economic costs of gender inequality, and the specific benefits of women's leadership in climate action, agriculture, and natural resource management.

This December 2008 briefing by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) examines the intersection of the humanitarian crisis in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the ecological degradation of Virunga National Park. The author argues that the park's natural resources are being exploited to fund ongoing conflict and that environmental governance must be integrated into any sustainable peace agreement to ensure long-term regional recovery.

The Peace and Security Council Report No 176 analyzes the outcomes of the 38th AU Summit in February 2025, focusing on leadership transitions, the chairship of Angola, and the ongoing challenges of the 'Silencing the Guns' agenda. It highlights the election of Mahamoud Ali Youssouf as AUC chair and the debate over rotational versus permanent membership in the AU Peace and Security Council (PSC).

The document outlines a work programme for Commissioners to generate effective action by developed countries to support the acceleration of development in Africa. It identifies key constraints to growth, proposes a three-pillared analytical framework (growth and resources; empowerment and culture; governance and institutions), and suggests a comprehensive programme of action focusing on governance, trade, human development, and peace and security.

This guide, produced by the Kukula Traditional Health Practitioners Association and Natural Justice, establishes a biocultural protocol for traditional health practitioners in Bushbuckridge. It outlines the role of these practitioners in community health, the spiritual and traditional methods used to harvest medicinal plants, and the challenges they face regarding land access and the protection of indigenous knowledge. The document asserts the rights of practitioners to access protected areas for medicinal resources and sets conditions for researchers and commercial entities seeking to use their traditional knowledge.

The 'Protocolos Comunitarios Bioculturales: Kit de Herramientas para Facilitadores Comunitarios' is a comprehensive guide published by Natural Justice. It provides a framework and practical tools for Indigenous Peoples and local communities to document their customary laws, values, and decision-making processes into 'biocultural community protocols'. These protocols are designed to help communities manage their territories, protect their rights, and engage constructively with external actors such as governments, researchers, and corporations, thereby reducing power asymmetries and preventing conflicts over natural resources.

This guide provides a framework for communities to implement a Biocultural Community Protocol (BCP) to engage with external actors, raise awareness, participate in decision-making, and resolve conflicts regarding their territories and resources.

This guide provides a framework for Indigenous peoples and local communities to use biocultural community protocols as tools for engaging with external actors, participating in decision-making, and resolving conflicts. It details strategies for proactive communication, raising awareness through participatory media, and navigating national and international legal processes to protect customary rights and territories.

This report analyzes the legal and institutional frameworks for protecting traditional knowledge (TK) in Mozambique, focusing on biodiversity, cultural heritage, and traditional medicine. It identifies a significant gap between high-level policy commitments and functional regulatory frameworks, noting that while Mozambique has ratified international agreements like the Nagoya Protocol, it lacks specific, operational laws to prevent the misappropriation of TK. The document highlights ongoing efforts to revise the 2007 Access and Benefit-Sharing (ABS) regulation and the potential for using geographical indications and academic partnerships to safeguard community knowledge.

The Community Protocols Toolbox is a comprehensive guide published by Natural Justice designed to assist NGOs, civil society groups, and community-based organizations in helping indigenous peoples and local communities develop community protocols. These protocols serve as frameworks for communities to document their identity, link customary laws with national and international legal frameworks, and engage effectively with external parties, particularly in the context of extractive industries and large-scale infrastructure projects.

This policy briefing analyzes Ghana's readiness to manage upcoming commercial oil production, evaluating the potential for oil revenues to either strengthen or undermine the country's democratic institutions and economic stability. It emphasizes the need for legislative frameworks, economic diversification, and community consultation to avoid the 'resource curse'.

This briefing from the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) outlines a call for events designed to mobilize knowledge from women environmental human rights defenders (EHRDs). The initiative focuses on the intersectional discrimination faced by women EHRDs and seeks to showcase how their empowerment and mobilization can transform power imbalances that drive gender and social inequality, particularly within an Asian context.