ClientEarth met with two Fang communities in the north of Gabon to study the land tenure regime in the Woleu-Ntem province’s rural areas. What is striking is that so few people have so far secured legal ownership over their lands. Why?

ClientEarth is engaged in working with forest communities and civil society in Africa to offer legal and strategic support to secure communities’ rights and promote fair and sustainable management of forests and land. We are working closely with local partners in Gabon, Ghana and the Republic of Congo.

Yesterday (7 December) the Committee on Climate Change, an independent advisory body to the UK Government, published a report stating that burning biomass could result in emissions “significantly higher than alternative forms of low-carbon power generation, and only slightly lower than those from gas-fired power generation”. The report comes at a time when the UK Government is consulting on its proposals to review public support levels for renewable electricity technologies under the Renewables Obligation scheme.

This post appeared on the Collaborative for Health and the Environment Blog in 17 November 2011.

The smallest car in the world is one billionth of a metre. 60,000 times smaller than the thickness of a hair. And is self-propelled. Instead of carrying people or freight, it could transport molecules and atoms and be used to reconstruct damaged cells.

Nanoparticles can perform tasks that were previously never thought possible.

Yesterday’s article in the Guardian revealed fresh grounds for concern that the government may fail to deliver a real bank with powers to borrow from the capital markets. The State Aid application sighted by the Guardian is indeed a good indication of critical design features of the Bank and once lodged with the European Commission, certain features will not be easy to revise. In particular, the article mentioned further uncertainty that the Green Investment Bank (GIB) will ever be allowed to borrow any time soon – with roll back on the dates previously announced in the official May update for the design of the GIB. 

Last year in Cancun, the Parties to the United Nations Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) agreed on a set of 7 social and environmental safeguards to ensure that REDD+ activities do not adversely affect human rights and biodiversity and promote multiple benefits. In addition, a mandate was given to the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA) to provide guidance for the establishment of a Safeguards Information System (SIS), which would serve as means to ensure that the implementation of the REDD+ safeguards is monitored and reported on.

Image: freeimagesarchive

COP17 is undoubtedly a ‘big deal’, with major publications covering up to date news coverage, the factual breakdown of the talks in Durban is easily accessible.

ClientEarth's senior lawyer on marine issues Sandy Luk has written an op-ed for the website www.cfp-reformwatch.eu. In the piece Sandy explains that although Commissioner Maria Damanaki has said she wants an ambitious CFP reform that ends overfishing, as a legal document, the CFP reform proposal does not define clearly enough the terms and provisions to realise its goal.

Read the piece HERE

Image: Tech109

Daniela Rey, Climate and Forests Lawyer for ClientEarth, shares her views on what are the sticking points on the current REDD+ safeguards negotiations at Durban. Below are her recommendations for ensuring that the design of the Safeguards Information System (SIS) is transparent, participatory and accurate.

Last year in Cancun, the Parties to the UNFCCC agreed on a set of 7 safeguards to ensure that REDD+ activities do not adversely affect human rights and biodiversity and promote multiple benefits. In addition, a mandate was given to the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA) to provide guidance for the establishment of a Safeguards Information System (SIS), which would serve as means to ensure that the implementation of the REDD+ safeguards is monitored and reported on.  Leading up to Durban and as we write this blog, Parties have been sharing their views with regards to the design of the REDD+ Safeguard Information System.

As the negotiations progress in Durban, there are several major issues being negotiated. These include:

Two very different  fishy stories in the news this week. Firstly, from the USA, further evidence that mis-labelling of fish is still rife, with 48% of fish DNA tested as part of an investigation by the Boston Globe labelled as a different species. Secondly, Fish2Fork (the UK campaigning fish restaurant guide which marks restaurants based on where their fish comes from and their approach to sustainable sourcing) have published the results of their first major review since launching in 2009, with over 45% of restaurants improving their rating in this time; a hugely encouraging sign of change in the food service sector.