Rainforest Foundation Annual Report 2009 P H OTO : W OLTE R SIL V E R A Contents FROM THE DIRECTOR 4–5 LATIN AMERICA The Amazon 6–7 No Borders 7 Brazil and Peru 8–9 Paraguay, Bolivia, Venezuela, Ecuador 10–11 ASIA Southeast Asia 12 Malaysia 13 Indonesia 14–15 Papua/New Guinea 16–17 AFRICA Central Africa 18 DR Congo 18–19 CLIMATE 20–21 POLICY AND PROMOTION 22 20TH ANNIVERSARY 23 INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION 24–25 ADMINISTRATION 25 FUNDING AND SUPPORTERS 2–27 ACCOUNTS 28–31 The Rainforest Foundation The Rainforest Foundation fights to preserve the world’s rain forests and ensure the rights of indigenous peoples, in cooperation with local indigenous and environmental organizations in Southeast Asia, Central Africa and the Amazon. In Norway we work on raising awareness about the rain- forest and preventing Norwegian politics and business interests from contributing to its destruction. The Rainforest Foundation was founded in 1989. We are a part of the international network Rainforest Foundation, with sister organizations in the US and the UK. Project support is financed by public authorities, the annual school project «Operation Day’s Work», private donors and sponsors. Five Norwegian organizations are members: Earth Norway, Nature and Youth, the children’s environmental organization «Eco-agents», the Development Fund and The Future in Our Hands. 2 RAINFOREST FOUNDATION • ANNUAL REPORT 2009 RAINFOREST FOUNDATION • ANNUAL REPORT 2009 3 ANNUAL REPORT 2009 FROM THE DIRECTOR A global player with solid local contact M AP : UNEP -WCMC Director for the Rainforest » vENEZuEla Foundation, » Malaysia Lars Løvold » ECuaDoR » DRC Twenty years have passed since the » iNDoNEsia » PaPua musician Sting and the Indian leader Rainforest: » PERu » BRaZil NEW GuiNEa Raoni visited Oslo with their appeal to preserve the rainforest and create a Today Originally major new Indian territory in the » Bolivia Brazilian Amazon. Their visit inspired the forming of what has become one of the » PaRaGuay most important organizations in Europe for the conservation of the world’s rainforests. Today the Rainforest Foundation works in Common conflict researchers, United Nations leaders and and broad participation from civilian those who destroy – the forests. In order of the Menkragnoti-Kayapó Territory, was the Amazon, Asia, Africa and Oceania. Local rainforest activists seized this representatives from the Rainforest society are essential for long-lasting to succeed it is essential for all affected the Rainforest Foundation’s first victory. Over a hundred local partners are opportunity to learn from the experiences Foundation’s partner network. The reductions in deforestation and destruc- groups to be inv olved in developing and Since then we have grown considerably. engaged with us in the ten most impor- of others. Central here was the importance conference made clear how central the tion. Gradually, we have expanded the implementing the new plans – especially Specific results from the past 20 years in tant rainforest nations. A core principle in of the rainforest to climate, and despite rainforest issue has become in interna- debate from mere technical discussions of those who live in and depend on the the form of protected rainforest territories, our work from day one has been the different national experiences participants tional politics, and the broad credibility forest carbon content to include social and rainforest. The Rainforest Foundation indigenous people who stand up and importance of working closely with those joined in a common message to the and recognition that the Rainforest economic factors. The Foundation’s key works to promote this through partner- demand their rights, and communities who live in the rainforest if we are to world’s climate negotiators: It is essent ial Foundation has achieved. issues of 20 years have also gained ships in many countries. Openness, broad that derive revenues from sustainable protect it. to recognize the rights and role of acceptance in the international climate participation and full disclosure are forest management demonstrate that it is indigenous peoples and other forest The Race for our Climate negotiations. Hardened negotiators have necessary to prevent forestry measures possible to stop the destruction. In June 2009 our partners gathered for peoples in forest conservation if we are to The year 2009 should have produced a had to learn to see the rights of indigenous that benefit only a small elite. anniversary celebrations in Oslo. T he reduce greenhouse gas emissions from de- new, legally binding climate agreement in peoples and participatory processes as part It is too early to say that the rainforest has main event was a three-day gathering of forestation. Copenhagen in December. We now know of any future climate solution. Increased hope through 20 years been saved, but never in the course of the more than fifty representatives from our that it did not. But hidden under the It is impossible to say what a future Foundation’s 20-year history have we had partner organizations in ten countries. Rainforest and climate were also themes collapse of that UN summit are nearly National forestry processes climate agreement will contain. But, more reason to believe that this will Experiences in the struggle to protect the in an open jubilee conference organized in completed partial negotiations, including Parallel with sluggish international climate without a doubt, the climate threat has actually be possible. rainforest and ensure rights of forest Oslo. Speakers included Norway’s Minister the conservation of forests in order to negotiations, important processes are made rainforest conservation a question inhabitants were exchanged across the of the Envir onment and International reduce emissions of greenhouse gases. The underway within most forest-rich that ranks very high on the international continents. Seldom have so many Development Erik Solheim, former efforts of the Rainforest Foundation and developing countries. National plans to political agenda. Deforestation in the “grass-root” rainforest experiences been Brazilian Minister of the Environment its partners in climate negotiations can monitor and preserve forests are being Brazilian Amazon has been reduced by in one place, requiring simultaneous Marina Silva, the head of the UN Perma- hardly be ov erestimated. Along with our developed. Pilot projects have started and nearly two-thirds within a few years – interpretation in Indonesian, French, nent Forum on Issues for Indigenous allies we have created recognition that new mechanisms have been drafted to clear proof that change is possible. Sting Portuguese, Spanish and English. Peoples, leading international forest respect for the rights of forest dwellers reward those who preserve – and punish and Raoni’s goal from 1989, the creation 4 RAINFOREST FOUNDATION • ANNUAL REPORT 2009 RAINFOREST FOUNDATION • ANNUAL REPORT 2009 5 OUR PROJECTS AND PARTNERS THE AMAZON VENEZUELA Venezuela has 450,000 km2 of forest, The Amazon and half of the country’s land area lies within the Amazon region. In the period Without borders 2000–2005, 553 km2 of forest disap- Rainforest recognizes no national Large areas of rainforest are threatened The Rainforest Foundation began as a campaign to establish Many Indian groups live in border areas between the peared each year. borders, and nor do the threats it is by the most ambitious development project the indigenous territory of Menkragnoti in the Brazilian nation-states of the region. Each country differs in its policies, Of the 42 indigenous groups in exposed to. A holistic and rights-based in the region’s history, the initiative for the Amazon 20 years ago. Today we have over 50 partners in and the Rainforest Foundation is involved across-borders to Venezuela, with a total of 150,000 administration across borders in the integration of infrastructure in South six nations. In 2009, NOK 50 million was used for work protect large, contiguous forest areas in the Amazon. people, 24 live in the Amazon region. Amazon is the best way to secure the America (IIRSA). in the Amazon. Nearly 1.5 billion tons of CO reaches the atmosphere each The Indians formally have good rights, 2 Through IIRSA the authorities want to year because of forest clearance and burning in the Amazon. but follow-up is poor. region’s rainforests. O O O O O O facilitate access to the region’s natural The105 AmazonW represents over half90 Wthe world’s rainforests and75 W This represents approximately60 W 5 percent of world45 W emissions. Longitude West 30 of Greenwich In 2007 the Rainforest Foundation, with a resources by linking geographically stretches over about 6 million sq. km. in nine countries. About The greatest threats to the rainforest and the indigenous The greatest threats are agriculture, hydropower and mining activities. grant from the Norwegian Ministry of separated areas throughout South America. 17% of the Amazon – over 3 times the area of Norway – has peoples of the Amazon are cattle farming, industrial agricul- Foreign Affairs was able to support As 90% of deforestation in the Amazon been deforested. ture, logging and mineral extraction. These factors often work projects with such a goal. The aim is that region occurs less than 50km from roads, Around 33 million people live in the Amazon region; an together. Some 90 percent of deforestation in the Amazon BRAZIL the work will serve as a counterweight to this can have major consequences. estimated 1.6 million are indigenous people mostly living in the occurs less than 50km from roads. the many powerful forces within each In close cooperation with our partners, rainforest. Each of the region’s 375 Indian groups has its The world’sVENE largestZ rainforestUELA country country seeking to exploit the region’s we have defined four areas where we will distinctive culture and social organization, and some 300 contains over 33% of the planet’s natural resources in ways that damage work for sustainable management of different languages are spoken in the Amazon area.