The World Bank has announced the suspension of $150 million in funding for the project to extend Ruaha National Park in south-west Tanzania. The decision, which took effect on 18 April 2024, follows repeated warnings from the Oackland Institute. The American human rights organisation documented abuses committed by forest rangers against local communities.
Toute l'actu sur la protection de l'environnement
The World Bank has announced the suspension of $150 million in funding for the project to extend Ruaha National Park in south-west Tanzania. The decision, which took effect on 18 April 2024, follows repeated warnings from the Oackland Institute. The American human rights organisation documented abuses committed by forest rangers against local communities.
In an unprecedented move, the World Bank announced the suspension of $150 million in funding for a tourism project in Tanzania, following damning revelations about abuses of indigenous rights in the project area.
The Resilient Management of Natural Resources for Tourism and Growth (REGROW) project aims to improve the management of natural resources and tourism assets in a remote region of southern Tanzania. The project involves extending Ruaha National Park, the country’s second largest park with a surface area of 20,000 km2. However, reports produced over several months by the Oakland Institute have documented at least 12 disappearances or extrajudicial executions, as well as sexual assaults against women, perpetrated by forest rangers as part of the REGROW project.
The US-based rights group also says that thousands of head of cattle have been illegally seized and auctioned off, causing a serious deterioration in the livelihoods of local pastoralists. The group accused the World Bank of failing to take immediate action to stop abuses against local communities, resulting in serious and widespread harm.
Expelling nearly 20,000 indigenous people to develop tourism
According to reports from the Oakland Institute, at least $100 million has already been disbursed on the REGROW project since its launch in 2017. For Anuradha Mittal, Executive Director of the Oakland Institute, the suspension of World Bank funding, which came into effect on 18 April 2024, is a powerful reminder to take social and environmental responsibility into account when carrying out development projects. « This is a victory for Tanzania’s marginalised communities. This suspension sends a clear message to the Tanzanian government that human rights abuses committed in the name of tourism development will no longer be tolerated.
Tanzania relies heavily on tourism to fund its budget, especially as arrivals from abroad rose by 24% in 2023. This seems to have comforted the Tanzanian government in its frenzy to develop the tourism sector.
According to the Oakland Institute, the Tanzanian authorities also want to evict nearly 20,000 people living in the vicinity of Ruaha National Park, with the aim of developing tourism in the region.
Based in Oakland, California, the Oakland Institute is a progressive think tank founded in 2004 by Anuradha Mittal. Its work involves defending the rights of marginalised communities.
Fanta Mabo
As part of a bold initiative to harness artificial intelligence (AI) to fight climate change and preserve nature, the Bezos Earth Fund has announced the launch of a $100 million multi-year Grand Challenge. This announcement comes at a crucial time when environmental challenges demand innovative and rapid solutions to protect the planet and ensure a sustainable future for generations to come.
Climate change, with its devastating impact on ecosystems and communities around the world, is one of the most pressing challenges facing humanity. At the same time, the loss of biodiversity threatens the balance of life on earth. To meet these challenges, the Bezos Earth Fund is proposing to capitalise on the potential of AI, which has already demonstrated its effectiveness in various fields such as the monitoring of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, the detection of forest fires and the advancement of renewable energies.
The AI for Climate and Nature Grand Challenge aims to catalyse innovation by encouraging collaboration between climate, nature and AI stakeholders. By identifying and supporting effective AI-based solutions, the Bezos Earth Fund hopes to accelerate progress towards a more sustainable future. Through targeted funding, mentoring and other resources, innovators will have the opportunity to turn their ideas into reality and deploy solutions at scale.
Running for three years, the Grand Challenge will focus its first cycle on a number of key areas, including the sustainable development impact of proteins, biodiversity conservation and power grid optimisation. However, the challenge is open to all innovative ideas that contribute to the fight against climate change and the protection of nature. To ensure fairness and access, the foundation of American billionaire Jeff Bezos, head of Amazon, the global online retail giant, is inviting innovators from all over the world to take part in this ambitious challenge.
The submission process for the first round of the Grand Challenge will begin in May 2024, offering innovators an opportunity to take their ideas forward and help build a more sustainable future for all. The winners will be announced at the Bezos Earth Fund-TED event during Climate Week in New York at the end of September 2024.
Fanta Mabo
Bezos Earth Fund releases $100m for AI to help the climate and protect nature
As part of a bold initiative to harness artificial intelligence (AI) to fight climate change and preserve nature, the Bezos Earth Fund has announced the launch of a $100 million multi-year Grand Challenge. This announcement comes at a crucial time when environmental challenges demand innovative and rapid solutions to protect the planet and ensure a sustainable future for generations to come.
The majestic and iconic pink flamingos roam the lakes of East Africa in spectacular colonies, offering breathtaking views to amazed onlookers. However, a recent study by King’s College London reveals a grim reality. These iconic birds are facing increasing threats from rising lake levels as a result of climate change.
The study, published in the journal Current Biology, is the first to use satellite earth observation data to investigate the impact of rising water levels on the main flamingo feeding lakes in Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania over a 23-year period. The findings are alarming. Rising sea levels are reducing the flamingos’ main source of food, jeopardising the very future of this emblematic species.
The researchers found a significant reduction in phytoplankton biomass, a vital food resource for flamingos, in the region’s soda lakes. This decrease is directly linked to rising water levels, which dilute the unique chemical composition of the soda lakes, leading to a decline in phytoplankton populations. As a result, flamingos are facing a growing shortage of food in their historic feeding grounds. In the soda lakes of East Africa, phytoplankton biomass has declined since 1999. On average, chlorophyll concentrations have fallen significantly by 3.9 mg per m3 per year.
An uncertain future for an avian icon
The researchers warn that flamingos may be forced to move to new, unprotected areas in search of food, which could expose them to additional dangers and further upset their ecological balance. They call for coordinated conservation action across national borders, as well as improved monitoring and more sustainable management of the surrounding land.
The results of this study underline the urgent need for action to protect flamingos and their fragile habitat. Governments, conservation organisations, researchers and civil society must join forces to develop management strategies adapted to climate change, strengthen monitoring of lake ecosystems and implement effective conservation measures to ensure the long-term survival of East African flamingos.
Fanta Mabo
Rising water levels threaten Africa’s pink flamingos in the Great Lakes region
The majestic and iconic pink flamingos roam the lakes of East Africa in spectacular colonies, offering breathtaking views to amazed onlookers. However, a recent study by King’s College London reveals a grim reality. These iconic birds are facing increasing threats from rising lake levels as a result of climate change.
Une collaboration efficace entre les forces de l’ordre et les défenseurs de la nature a permis de mettre fin aux activités illégales de trois individus impliqués dans le trafic d’ivoire. Les arrestations ont eu lieu à Lastoursville et Koula-Moutou, où deux des trafiquants ont été appréhendés en flagrant délit de possession et de tentative de vente de précieuses pointes d’ivoire.
Leur capture fait suite à une opération minutieuse menée conjointement par la Direction Provinciale des Eaux et Forêts, la Direction de Lutte Contre le Braconnage, et l’antenne de la Police Judiciaire de l’Ogooué-Lolo, avec le soutien crucial de l’ONG Conservation Justice. Grâce aux informations fournies par des sources fiables, une équipe de surveillance a identifié les suspects et les a interceptés au moment opportun.
Lors de la fouille du petit sac de voyage transporté par l’un des individus, les autorités ont découvert deux pointes d’ivoire sectionnées en six morceaux, pesant environ une dizaine de kilogrammes. Les présumés trafiquants, de nationalité gabonaise, ont admis leur intention de vendre ces ivoires et ont impliqué un troisième complice, qui a été appréhendé le lendemain après dénonciation.
Ces actes illégaux sont passibles de lourdes sanctions, avec une peine de prison pouvant aller jusqu’à 10 ans et une amende atteignant cinq fois la valeur marchande des pointes d’ivoire, conformément aux lois en vigueur. Il est crucial de souligner que toute forme d’abattage d’éléphants doit être signalée aux autorités compétentes pour garantir la préservation de ces espèces protégées.
Cette opération démontre l’engagement résolu des autorités et des organisations partenaires à lutter contre le trafic d’ivoire et à protéger la faune sauvage au Gabon.
Boris Ngounou
Raid contre le trafic d’ivoire au Gabon : Trois présumés trafiquants appréhendés à Lastoursville et Koula-Moutou
Une collaboration efficace entre les forces de l’ordre et les défenseurs de la nature a permis de mettre fin aux activités illégales de trois individus impliqués dans le trafic d’ivoire. Les arrestations ont eu lieu à Lastoursville et Koula-Moutou, où deux des trafiquants ont été appréhendés en flagrant délit de possession et de tentative de vente de précieuses pointes d’ivoire.
A recent study published in the journal Nature on 10 April 2024 provides encouraging news for biodiversity conservation in the Congo Basin. Led by Utrecht University in the Netherlands, with the support of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), the research highlights the positive impact of Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified forests on the region’s wildlife.
The results of the study, which lasted five years and involved hundreds of local employees, are unequivocal. Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified forest concessions are home to a larger population of threatened large mammals than non-certified forests. In fact, certified concessions have seen a significant increase in the number of large mammals such as gorillas and forest elephants, compared with non-certified areas. This increase is particularly notable for mammals weighing more than 220 kilograms, such as gorillas and forest elephants, with a 2.7-fold increase compared to non-certified areas.
These findings underline the crucial importance of FSC-certified forest concessions in protecting the wildlife of the Congo Basin. As well as providing a haven for critically endangered species, these certified forests play an essential role in seed dispersal, nutrient cycling and forest carbon storage in the region.
The challenges of FSC certification
However, the study highlights the persistent challenges facing biodiversity conservation in the region. In particular, the impact of illegal hunting on wildlife remains a major concern. Despite proactive measures taken by FSC-certified forestry companies, such as blocking old logging roads and supporting alternative sources of protein for local communities, illegal hunting continues to threaten biodiversity in the Congo Basin.
These results underline the crucial importance of responsible forest management in conserving biodiversity. FSC-certified forest concessions offer a concrete example of how wildlife conservation can be reconciled with sustainable economic development. Sustainable forestry practices support not only biodiversity, but also local communities and help combat climate change by preserving tropical forests.
Despite the obvious benefits of FSC certification, it is still largely concentrated in northern countries, with little involvement of tropical forests in southern countries. What’s more, small-scale forestry operations, particularly family or community forestry, are often excluded from the certification process, which limits their access to international markets.
Fanta Mabo
Congo Basin: certified forests, a refuge for wildlife
A recent study published in the journal Nature on 10 April 2024 provides encouraging news for biodiversity conservation in the Congo Basin. Led by Utrecht University in the Netherlands, with the support of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), the research highlights the positive impact of Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified forests on the region’s wildlife.