Island forest in Peru. (Photo by R. Butler)
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International Conservation Organizations
Today international conservation organizations serve as environmental consultants for governments and large corporations interested
in reducing pollution, setting aside protected areas, and conserving biodiversity. Organizations like the International
Conservation Union (IUCN), Conservation International (CI), the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), and the World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF) act as mediators between various development interests,
policy makers, local peoples, scientists, and activist groups in promoting conservation. These organizations initiate
and support a broad range of conservation-related activities, from arranging international conferences to establishing
community-based conservation projects to maintaining parks and reserves. Keeping attuned to economic realities,
they work to integrate the latest scientific findings into preservation efforts.
Activist Groups
Activist groups, like the Rainforest Action Network (RAN), the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), the Rainforest Alliance, Amazon Watch, Friends of the
Earth (FOE), and the Sierra Club are publicists and sponsors of rainforest preservation. These organizations support
and initiate community-based conservation projects that involve locals in conservation. They are watchdogs of development
projects that impact the rainforest, and they spread the the word to other organizations, peoples, and governments. They
initiate campaigns against large corporations and governments responsible for deforestation and encourage consumers
to boycott their products. Pressure against these companies from environmental organizations, coupled with boycotts,
will often sway the firm to adopt more ecologically sound methods or abandon plans to clear forest lands for production.
While critics argue that successful boycotts in the North only lead to trade diversion to markets that remain open,
their campaigns draw public attention to deforestation and increase industry's sensitivity to rainforest issues.
The Rainforest Action Network is one of the world's largest organizations completely committed to saving the world's
rainforest. It is based in San Francisco and has countless affiliates throughout the world. The organization
has led numerous campaigns, several of
which have been successful. RAN uses boycotts as a means to pressure companies responsible for rainforest destruction.
RAN, along with other organizations, has been responsible for pressuring companies into less ecologically damaging
practices. The table reflects some of their successes. The first major successful boycott, led by RAN, was a boycott
of Burger King and caused the fast-food giant to cancel $35 million in beef contracts with Central American countries.
Since then, the demand for cattle products has diminished, and these nations have slowed the clearing of rainforest
for pasture land. Recently FOE's "Mahogany is Murder" campaign reduced UK mahogany imports from 31,300
cubic meters in 1992 to 18,900 cubic meters in 1996.
Through the efforts of RAN and other groups, in November 2005 Goldman Sachs became the first global investment bank to adopt a comprehensive environmental policy. The policy acknowledged the scientific consensus on climate change and called for urgent action by public policy makers and federal regulators to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions. Goldman Sachs's decision followed similar initiatives by J.P. Morgan, Citigroup, and Bank of America.
Today RAN and other groups are encouraging boycotts of Chevron-Texaco, Burmese teak ("Teak is Torture" campaign),
mahogany ("mahogany is murder" campaign), and Shell Oil. In the past couple of years several
city governments have refused to purchase goods or services from firms that participate in forest destruction.
In 1995, the city government of Berkeley, California, prohibited firms that operate in Burma—which has witnessed
widespread deforestation and human-rights violations by commercial activities—from selling goods to the city
government. The companies affected by the blockade include Pepsico, Texaco, and Unocal. In 1996, in response to
the hanging of environmentalist leaders in Nigeria, the Toronto metro council rejected Shell Oil's proposal to
fuel city vehicles. In 1997, Berkeley moved to ban companies operating in Nigeria from city government contracts.
According to EDF, municipalities that have banned the use of unsustainably produced tropical timber include Baltimore,
Bellingham, Harrisburg, Los Angeles, Ottowa, San Francisco, Santa Clarita, and Santa Monica.
Private Funding Organizations
In addition to conservation organizations, private corporations have been responsible for funding projects to help the environment.
Recently Motorola allied with the World Wildlife Foundation's conservation effort, by enhancing the organization's
communication capabilities when in remote areas. Now WWF has first-class tracking devices and excellent means of
communication for their fieldwork.
The Costal Rainforest Coalition
Review questions:
- Does pressure from activist groups work?
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CONTENTS
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WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
INTERACT
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Recent news
Tropical ecologist: Australia must follow U.S. and EU in banning illegally logged wood
(02/09/2012) Australia should join the widening effort to stamp out illegal logging, according to testimony given this week by tropical ecologist William Laurance with James Cook University. Presenting before the Australian Senate's rural affairs committee, Laurance argued that the massive environmental and economic costs of illegal logging worldwide should press Australia to tighten regulations against importing illegally logged timber at home.
Majority of protected tropical forests "empty" due to hunting
(02/08/2012) Protected areas in the world's tropical rainforests are absolutely essential, but one cannot simply set up a new refuge and believe the work is done, according to a new paper in Bioscience. Unsustainable hunting and poaching is decimating tropical forest species in the Amazon, the Congo, Southeast Asia, and Oceana, leaving behind "empty forests," places largely devoid of any mammal, bird, or reptile over a few pounds. The loss of such species impacts the whole ecosystems, as plants lose seed dispersers and the food chain is unraveled.
New rainforest and indigenous reserve established in Peru
(02/07/2012) On February 4th, the Peruvian government and a small indigenous group created a new Amazon reserve, dubbed the Maijuna Reserve. Located in northeastern Peru, the 390,000 hectare (970,000 acres) reserve is larger than California's Yosemite National Park and over three times the size of Hong Kong.
Guyanese tribe maps Connecticut-sized rainforest for land rights
(02/07/2012) In a bid to gain legal recognition of their land, the indigenous Wapichan people have digitally mapped their customary rainforest land in Guyana over the past ten years. Covering 1.4 million hectares, about the size of Connecticut, the rainforest would be split between sustainable-use regions, sacred areas, and wildlife conservation according to a plan by the Wapichan tribe that will be released today. The plan says the tribe would preserve the forest from extractive industries.
Featured video: music in Madagascar to protest illegal logging
(01/22/2012) A new video highlights the plight of Madagascar's protected tropical forests, which are falling prey to illegal logging and foreign contractors. Featuring Razia Said, Malagasy singer and songwriter, the video shows concerts to raise awareness about illegal logging, especially near Maosala National Park.
More news on saving rainforests
More rainforest news
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