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CDM project application 3197 Aguan: Biogas recovery from palm oil mill effluent (POME) ponds and biogas utilisation Exportadora del Atlántico Aguan, Honduras
Biofuel Watch, Salva la Selva/Rettet den Regenwald, and CDM Watch have challenged the proposed CDM project 3197 in Bajo Aguan, Honduras. The organizations argue that the project fails to meet 'sustainable development' and additionality requirements due to the project developer's alleged human rights abuses and disputed land claims.
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Document type: Statement
Competing Ecosystem services: an Assessment of Carbon and Timber in the Tropical forests of Central America
The study compares the economic returns of carbon sequestration and timber harvesting in Central American tropical forests between 1990 and 2005. It finds that while timber generally offers higher face-value returns, the attractiveness of carbon-based conservation is highly dependent on carbon pricing and discount rates. The author argues that integrating co-benefits and sustainable forestry management can make carbon-focused options more competitive.
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Document type: Policy brief
movilizar, resistir, transformar de luchas y éxitos 40 años
The document outlines four decades of activism by Friends of the Earth International, highlighting specific successes in banning commercial whaling in Spain, prohibiting open-pit mining in Costa Rica, and establishing the first climate change law in the UK. It details diverse campaigns against coal power in Germany, oil pollution in Nigeria, and genetically modified organisms in Europe, while emphasizing the role of grassroots mobilization and legal action in achieving environmental protections and human rights.
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Document type: Report
mobiliser, resister, transformer
This report highlights the achievements of Friends of the Earth International (FoEI) over four decades, detailing specific campaigns against extractive industries, pollution, and unsustainable development. It documents legal victories, such as the ban on open-pit mining in Costa Rica and the recognition of water as a human right in Uruguay, as well as grassroots successes in reforestation in Belgium and the protection of eucalyptus forests in Australia. The text emphasizes the role of international solidarity and legal action in challenging neoliberal globalization and protecting the rights of indigenous peoples and local communities.
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Document type: Report
mobilise, resist, transform and successes 40 years of struggles
The report documents various environmental and social justice campaigns led by Friends of the Earth (FoE) member groups across the globe. Key achievements include the 2008 UK Climate Change Act, a ban on open-pit metal mining in Costa Rica (2010), and the cessation of commercial whaling in Spain (1985). The document also details ongoing resistance against coal-fired power plants in Germany and Scotland, gas flaring in Nigeria, and the impact of large-scale dams in Mozambique, South Korea, and the Philippines. It emphasizes a strategy of combining grassroots mobilization, legal challenges, and international solidarity to combat corporate globalization and protect indigenous and community rights.
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Document type: Report
the abc of climate finance
The report criticizes the Copenhagen Accord for promoting private finance and market mechanisms over binding public commitments. It highlights how investment banks like Barclays and Santander, and companies like Shell and Lafarge, use carbon trading and REDD projects to generate profit or 'greenwash' their images. The authors advocate for a transition to climate justice, proposing a 'Robin Hood Tax' on financial transactions and the replacement of REDD with UN-wide negotiations to stop deforestation.
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Document type: Report
el abc del financiamiento para el clima
The document criticizes the 'Copenhagen Accord' for shifting the burden of climate action to developing nations and promoting private finance over public obligations. It highlights how global banks like Barclays and Santander, and corporations like Shell and Lafarge, use carbon markets and REDD projects for 'greenwashing' and profit. The report concludes that climate finance should be mandatory, public, and managed by the UN to ensure it serves the most vulnerable populations rather than corporate interests.
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Document type: Report
Ecosystems, Development, and Climate Adaptation
The report examines the intersection of ecosystem management, poverty reduction, and climate adaptation in Belize, focusing on the vulnerability of its coastal zone. It identifies key drivers of change—population patterns, socio-economic development, and climate change—and uses scenario building to project outcomes by 2050. The study assesses Belize's current governance baseline across four clusters (institutions, policies, regulations, and capacity), finding that while sectoral policies are progressing, enforcement and integrated capacity remain weak. It proposes a transition toward stronger, more centralized governance and integrated cross-sectoral planning to enhance national resilience.
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Document type: Report
Regional implications of the AGF recommendations: Latin America and Caribbean region
The document outlines the climate finance requirements for the Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) region, estimating annual mitigation needs between US$40–80 billion and adaptation needs between US$18–21 billion by 2030. It highlights the region's unique emissions profile, where land-use change is the primary driver of greenhouse gases, particularly in South America. The briefing argues that the AGF's recommendations for public-private partnerships and carbon-based revenue sources offer significant opportunities, provided that the region secures an equitable share of adaptation grants and establishes a robust framework for reducing emissions from deforestation (REDD+).
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Document type: Briefing
The Plus Side
The report outlines how tropical forests can be transitioned from net carbon emitters to net sinks through the REDD+ framework. It details specific reforestation, restoration, and sustainable production forestry techniques, while emphasizing the necessity of 'additional' carbon benefits beyond business-as-usual baselines. The authors argue that achieving zero net emissions by 2030 requires a combination of reducing deforestation and scaling up sequestration activities, supported by international financial incentives and national policies that protect biodiversity and the rights of indigenous and local communities.
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Document type: Report
SITUACIÓN DE DEFENSORES Y DEFENSORAS DEL MEDIO AMBIENTE EN MESOAMÉRICA
The briefing details a systemic pattern of violence, criminalization, and state neglect targeting environmental defenders in Mesoamerica, specifically those opposing mining projects. Testimonies from Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, and Panama highlight a recurring cycle where high metal prices and trade agreements drive mining expansion, while weak regulatory frameworks and state complicity lead to the murder, disappearance, and harassment of activists. The document argues that states often fail to investigate crimes or protect defenders, instead using the legal system to criminalize protest and ignore the right to free, prior, and informed consent of affected communities.
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Document type: Briefing
Competing Ecosystem Services: an Assessment of Carbon and Timber in the Tropical Forests of Central America
The research paper evaluates the trade-offs between carbon storage and timber extraction in Central American tropical forests using Net Present Value (NPV) analysis. It finds that while timber is more profitable on a face-value basis, the attractiveness of forest conservation is highly dependent on carbon pricing and discount rates. The author argues that incorporating co-benefits and sustainable forestry management is essential for making conservation economically competitive with timber harvesting.
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Document type: Research paper
ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENDERS IN DANGER: THE SITUATION IN MEXICO AND CENTRAL AMERICA IN THE CONTEXT OF INDUSTRIAL MINING
The report documents a regional trend of violence against environmental defenders in Mexico and Central America linked to industrial mining. It argues that this violence stems from state failure to manage environmental impacts and a lack of protection for defenders, often exacerbated by the influence of foreign mining companies from Canada and the United States. Through case studies in Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, and Panama, the document details threats, kidnappings, and assassinations, while recommending stronger institutional protections, the implementation of free, prior, and informed consent, and greater accountability for home states of foreign corporations.
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Document type: Report
ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENDERS IN DANGER: THE SITUATION IN MEXICO AND CENTRAL AMERICAN IN THE CONTEXT OF INDUSTRIAL MINING
The report documents a growing trend of repression and violence against environmental defenders in Mexico and Central America, linked to the expansion of industrial mining. It argues that this violence stems from state failure to manage environmental impacts and a lack of protection for human rights defenders, often characterized by high levels of impunity in both host and home countries of mining companies.
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Document type: Executive summary
Defensoras y Defensores Ambientales en Peligro La Situación en México y Centro América En el Ámbito de la Industria Minera
The report documents a regional trend of violence against environmental defenders in Mexico and Central America, linking these abuses to the social and environmental impacts of industrial mining and the failure of states to protect human rights. It provides case studies from five countries and recommends strengthening institutional protection, environmental regulations, and the right to free, prior, and informed consent.
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Document type: Report
Classifying Ecosystem Services for Economic Valuation: the case of Forest Water Services
The paper examines the conceptual conflicts in classifying ecosystem services for economic valuation, specifically comparing the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MEA) framework with an output-based approach. Through an analysis of 25 valuation studies of tropical forest water services in Central and South America, the authors find that the MEA framework can lead to double counting and underestimation of values. They argue that valuation should focus on final outputs (benefits to humans) rather than ecological processes to ensure accuracy.
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Document type: Research paper
DRAFT STANDARDS FOR RESPONSIBLE SHRIMP AQUACULTURE
The Shrimp Aquaculture Dialogue (ShAD) has developed a comprehensive set of draft standards for responsible shrimp aquaculture, focusing on seven core principles: legal compliance, environmentally suitable siting, community consideration, responsible labor practices, shrimp health management, broodstock and stock management, and resource efficiency. The standards employ a performance-based approach, defining acceptable impact levels rather than prescribing specific production methods, and are intended for the top 20 percent of farms globally. Key environmental requirements include the prohibition of siting in mangroves and natural wetlands (with limited exceptions for infrastructure), the mandate for Biodiversity inclusive Environmental Impact Assessments (BEIA), and strict limits on nutrient effluent loads (nitrogen and phosphorus). Social standards require participatory Social Impact Assessments (p-SIA) and adherence to ILO core conventions regarding child and forced labor. The document also outlines strict biosecurity measures to prevent disease and mandates the transition toward 100% closed-loop hatchery sourcing for Litopenaeus vannamei and Penaeus monodon. The standards are designed to be verified through third-party certification via the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC).
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Document type: Report
Efficiency and Micropower for Reliable and Resilient Electricity Service: An Intriguing Case-Study from Cuba
Between 2004 and 2007, Cuba transitioned from a fragile, centralized power system plagued by frequent blackouts to a more resilient model. This was achieved through 'La Revolución Energética', which combined the mass replacement of inefficient appliances (lamps, refrigerators, air conditioners) with the installation of 1,854 diesel and fuel-oil-fired microgenerators. This decentralized architecture improved resilience against hurricanes and reduced oil consumption per kWh compared to central plants, while the country began shifting toward long-term renewable goals including wind, solar, and bagasse cogeneration.
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Document type: Case study
Der Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) – (ab)used by Germany?
The research paper analyzes Germany's engagement with the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) up to July 2009, arguing that both the global mechanism and German state policy prioritize the quantity of Certified Emission Reductions (CERs) over the quality of sustainable development. The author finds that German projects are heavily concentrated in Asia, particularly China and India, and are dominated by large-scale industrial 'end-of-pipe' projects that offer minimal sustainable development benefits. The document concludes that the German government uses the CDM primarily as a tool for economic and export promotion rather than as a means to achieve genuine climate and development goals, thereby 'abusing' the mechanism's original purpose.
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Document type: Research paper
Forests and Adaptation to Climate Change: What is at Stake?
The authors propose a two-fold linkage between forests and climate adaptation: using forest ecosystem services to reduce social vulnerability ('forests for adaptation') and implementing measures to protect forests from climate impacts ('adaptation for forests'). They advocate for Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) as an overarching framework to integrate these goals, noting that ecological infrastructure is often more cost-effective and adaptive than engineered alternatives. The paper highlights the need for cross-sectoral governance, financial transfers like payments for ecosystem services, and the integration of mitigation policies such as REDD+ to avoid maladaptation and ensure long-term resilience.
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Document type: Research paper