Life As Commerce 2008
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This publication examines the social impacts of market-based conservation mechanisms such as carbon trading, ecotourism, biofuels and other commercially-oriented environmental instruments. It focuses on the effects of these schemes on women, indigenous peoples and the rural poor, especially in respect of the proposal by some countries to include forest conservation into the global carbon market.
The report features the following case studies:
- Carbon sinks in Colombia
- Certification in South Africa
- Ecotourism in India
- Bioprospecting in Costa Rica
- Buiodiversity offsets in Paraguay
Among the report's findings:
- Indigenous and local community governance over forests and ecosystems is historically proven as an effective, efficient and socially sound method of conserving biodiversity and improving community wellbeing
- Governments and other donors should undertake a profound analysis of market-based conservation approaches to assess whether they strengthen rights-based, socially just biodiversity conservation policies
The report is produced by the Global Forest Coalition, an international coalition of NGOs and Indigenous Peoples' Organizations involved in international forest policy founded in the year 2000 by 19 organisations worldwide.