REDD+ Means Red Alert!

I love students… and the students from the California University System who visited the Center recently, sparked conversations about many topics… too many to mention.  But I want to write about one in particular.  Because it became apparent that REDD+ is being “sold” to them as this grand idea to offset deforestation and pollution.   It is an absurd idea and we must question it and do all we can to help protect the territories of the indigenous people.  The BriBri have put together an informative booklet which I summarized below.

Translated and Adapted from:  "Cuidando la Madre Tierra:  Luchando contra REDD+ y megaproyectos"   (Taking Care of Mother Earth:  Fighting Against REDD+ and Megaprojects)

What is REDD+?

It means Reduction of Emissions Due to Deforestation and Degradation of the Forests.  The + symbol refers to a Sustainable Handling, Conservation and an Increase of Carbon reserves.

It is a project that allows extractive industries (corporations and governments) pay for permits that allow them to pollute.  The contract that the leaders of an indigenous community sign to accept REDD+ in its territory, means that the community no longer can use its forest or most of it, because there are companies that are paying so the trees in their forests clean the pollution caused by the industry. 

The project was created by international entities such as the World Bank and United Nations, and it started in Costa Rica in 2008.

They reject REDD+ because corporations need to be responsible for their own pollution and they need to stop their extractive, polluting industries; to pay in order to pollute is a lack of respect.

They reject REDD+ because the process of consultation that the government keeps pushing since 8 years ago is not done with good intention as it does not provide timely and true information to the indigenous communities involved.  They obtain the cooperation If the local government against the will of the people.  If the local BRIBRI government signs such a contract, the usable area of forest the indigenous community would have left to use would be reduced to 2%.

Since 2010, the community has been against this project and has been protesting and they even went to the Presidential Home in San Jose.

They have used the media, held forums, visited communities; they have had numerous meetings with the local government ADITIBRI who are not listening to the people, and have received visitors from various countries that want to help them stop REDD+.

They worked on a Declaration to protect their indigenous BRIBRI territory and used the United Nations Declaration regarding Indigenous Peoples.  The main point in this Declaration is that indigenous people have the right to self-determination and self-governance.

Indigenous people have been living in balance and harmony with their environment, a true and ancestral model of Sustainability.  They do not need REDD+.  And in fact, REDD+ would upset this delicate balance.

Please tell others about what REDD+ really means!