---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Sat, 25 Jul 1998 12:49:11 -0400
From: James Albert <albert at nms.ac.jp>
To: nia-net at inpa.gov.br
Subject: [nia-net] BIOD: WWF Brazil in Conservation Conflict
7/19/98
OVERVIEW & COMMENTARY
Four Brazilian NGOs argue that a recent agreement by the Brazilian
government, the World Bank, and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), which plans
to protect 10 percent of the Amazon region, are insufficient. The groups
say ten percent is an unacceptably low goal, and also that ten percent is
excessive for the exclusive creation of areas of indirect use. Some highly
placed members of the WWF also criticize the agreement, citing concerns
that Brazilian NGOs were not consulted. Finally, it must be emphasized
that past plans to protect the Amazon have largely proven to be political
rhetoric. The following is exerpted from the Environmental News Service.
JSA
RELAYED TEXT STARTS HERE:
Title: WWF Brazil Caught in Conservation Conflict
Source: Environmental News Service
Status: Copyright 1998, contact source for permission to reprint
Date: July 14, 1998
BRASILIA, Brasil, July 14, 1998 (ENS) - Four leading Brasilian
environmental groups have critized as "insufficient" a plan to protect
10 percent of the Amazon region issued by the Brazilian government,
the World Bank, and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) two months ago.
Through the establishment of environmental conservation areas of
indirect use, the WWF, the Bank and the government of Brazil intend to
set aside 25 million hectares (62 million acres) of new protected
forest areas by the year 2000. This is the largest conservation move
ever in the Amazon.
This commitment is the first outcome of a unique alliance between the
World Bank and WWF to help conserve a network of forests around the
world. On April 29, to launch Brazil's commitment, President Fernando
Cardoso signed decrees for two new protected areas in the Brazilian
Amazon, and two in the Atlantic Forest, totaling 600,000 hectares (1.5
million acres).
The Brazilian NGO and Social Moviments Forum for Development and
Environment (Forum Brasileiro de ONGs); Rubbertappers Nacional Council
(CNS); the Amazon Working Group (GTA); and the Brazil Network on
Multilateral Financial Institutions (Rede Brasil) released a statement
July 1 saying the plan fails to take into account the rights of
traditional populations.
An Amazon indigenous resident claims,
"In addition, we consider that the quantitative goal of this campaign
- ten percent before the year 2000 - as randomly chosen, inadequate,
and ignorant to the reality of Brazil."
The groups say ten percent is an unacceptably low goal, but on the
other hand, ten percent is excessive for the exclusive creation of
areas of indirect use, when there are as yet no studies or dependable
data to answer the question of the availability of such a large amount
of land without the presence of indigenous populations or
extractivists.
"We also do not understand the selection of the year 2000 as a
deadline, considering that currently less than four percent of the
Amazon is reserved for conservation areas of indirect use, and a major
part of that has only been formed on paper."
Today, the World Wildlife Fund had some criticisms of its own in
response to the groups' statement. Garo Batmanian executive director
of WWF Brasil said, "It should be noted that three of the four
signatories are Executive Secretaries of network organizations who are
signing exclusively in their personal capacities," the WWF said. "The
member organizations of these networks were not consulted and can in
no way be associated with the letter; in fact WWF is a member of one
of these organizations."
The WWF agrees with the characterization of the plan as insufficient.
"We do not consider that this characterization differs from our own
position. WWF has never affirmed that conservation in the Amazon
should be limited to 10 percent of its area, nor that protection
should consist exclusively of full-protection conservation units, nor
that conservation should be limited to the Amazon biome," Batmanian
wrote.
Contrary to what the letter suggests, the WWF says the process for
selecting and setting aside these protected areas considers the
participation of traditional forest peoples and other local interests
through a series of national and state workshops.
"WWF defends this process and will seek to have traditional
populations represented on the Committee," Batmanian stated. "For WWF,
there is no way to work on the issue of parks without having a
participatory process, involving local populations through their
legitimate leaders - a practice we have adopted in all the projects we
implement.
Still, the four groups stress, "These populations today live in
miserable conditions, without access to consistent government support
to develop their traditional economic activities, or even to guarantee
minimum prices for their products, the making of which essentially
depends on the continued existence of the forest."
They point out that the Brazilian government has not managed to
finance the protected areas which already exist. "It is of common
knowledge that, were it not for the resistence of these populations to
the preditorial behavior of large estate owners, lumber companies,
prospectors, and political forces (with some honorable exceptions),
the Amazon today would be in an even worse condition."
For its part, the WWF's Batmanian held out the prospect of cooperation
with the critical groups. "We agree with the suggestion to direct the
discussion to a larger vision, that establishes guidelines and wide-
ranging actions for conservation and development of Amazonia. We
reiterate our invitation for all environmental and social
organizations to unite around this common challenge."
ENS - Environment News Service
http://www.lycos.com/envirolink/news/stories/3357.html