Sarawak's lucrative logging industry has given rise to dynasties of enormous wealth and political power, writes Chris Lang, as revealed in this courageous investigation by Lukas Straumann. And the kingpin is multi-billionaire Abdul Taib Mahmud, Chief Minister of Sarawak for 33 years, whose whose property empire spans the globe.
… Money Logging: Corruption, power and the … Forests Malaysia Corporations Law Politics money-logging-cover-cut.jpg Sarawak's … 2014 and is now the Governor of Sarawak. Money Logging A new book by the director of …
REDD+ type projects to protect rainforests face many obstacles but we should not give up on market-based solutions, says Ben Caldecott from the investment bank Climate Change Capital
… with the problem. This limited pot of public money can, however, achieve a great deal if … REDD+, other mechanisms supported by public money can start to catalyse investment into … early 2012. There is no excuse for delay as money has already been pledged and needs to be …
Greece's economic woes will never be solved by merely moving money around the banking system, writes Oliver Tickell. The lasting solution is to restore native forests to her barren hills and mountains, invest in large-scale solar power to energise Europe, and create an examplar of sustainable development for our global future.
… woes will never be solved by merely moving money around the banking system, writes Oliver … So while its important for Greece to get the money side of things sorted out, what really … And rather than using 'bailout' funds to move money around the banking system to no obvious …
Fancy some forest carbon, guv'nor? Only one careful owner... Dan Box explains why a cautious approach to deforestation schemes would be wise
… Nowhere is the gulf between the dreams of money-men and real life more complete than in … by conmen promising big returns from ‘sky money’. PNG special envoy to the United … up, but cock-fighting, cowboys and sky money are there to trip up the money-men when …
Talis Kalnars was a pioneer of 'continuous cover' forestry in Britain, writes Phil Morgan. His woodlands were not only beautiful but profitable, as he nurtured the 'natural capital' of the forest ecosystem, and only harvested the dividend of high value timber.
… so hard to build up. "Yes, you realise some money from the timber, but it's a one-off. And … that they are profitable. All my forests make money - they have to, or I would lose my job." … I only harvest the trees that will make me money, and I am so mean that I do not want …
Protecting rainforests is now almost as lucrative as cutting them down. Mark Anslow reports on a commodities-centred approach to stopping deforestation
… suddenly reduce your deforestation and earn money on carbon credits. It offers nothing to … of people are waiting to make an awful lot of money from ‘driving forests to market’. He … isn’t ‘scalable’. ‘Wringing hands and raising money using pictures of pretty animals won’t …
It was all going so well for Chevron - a New York court had ruled that a $9.5 billion judgment against it set by Ecuador's supreme court for massive pollution deep in the Amazon was corrupt and fraudulent. But then its star witness broke ranks and admitted, in another court, that he had lied, and the only bribes were coming from Chevron. Will Ecuador's pollution victims finally get justice?
… - and the problem was, how to collect the money. Ecuador resorted to the US federal … Chevron paid its star witness huge sums of money to present false evidence to frame the … that he said all these things to get more money out of Chevron. He and his entire family …
Nathaniel Dyer of the Rainforest Foundation UK explains how saving forests is about far more than simply throwing money at the problem
… is about far more than simply throwing money at the problem As Europe stands accused … is about a lot more than simply throwing money at the problem. Land rights, governance …
As Brazil prepares for elections next month, conserving its remaining Atlantic Forest is a hot issue, writes Cristina Banks-Leite. Ecologists want to preserve more native habitat, while farmers want to expand their acreage. But there is one solution that ought to please everyone.
… within their property is good value for money. The key message from our work is that … be satisfied for a reasonably small amount of money. The headline number seems large, but it …
Russia’s zapovedniks are some of the world’s most pristine wildernesses. For 70 years they were protected ruthlessly by the Soviet system, but recently they have fallen prey to Putin, the World Bank and ecotourists. Paul Webster reports on their plight
… the deputy minister of finance suggested that money could be raised by logging the … admission. ‘There are lots of ways to make money in the zapovedniks,’ he says. ‘We favour … promoting ‘sustainable’ ways to squeeze money from nature, including the publication …
Global study finds forests provide one-fifth of household income in rural communities and says access for them should be prioritised in REDD-type conservation projects
… offer to Indonesia. But where will that money go? Norway's $1 billion of … watch very carefully to see whether the money reaches the right pockets... …
Civil war in Casamance, a forested area of Senegal, has been fought for 30 years, while an illegal timber trade has boomed amid the insecurity. Louise Hunt reports on how community forestry is bringing peace to the region - and restoring life to the forests.
… the rebels would ambush us and ask for money, in other areas there are landmines." So … and beeswax products. "We can make much more money than before. We are also coming together …
Indonesia's President Widodo has promised strong action to put out his country's raging forest fires, writes Scott Edwards. Yet this year's conflagrations are the worst since 1997. His problem? Powerful elites in forested provinces are making big money from the burning. And they see little reason to heed Widodo's pleas - or anyone else's.
… elites in forested provinces are making big money from the burning. And they see little … needs strengthening. Jakarta could use money to get local elites to switch sides. …
Economist Herman E Daly argues that our future depends on a new economic model, one that needs to be defined by the dynamic balance – the steady state – of the natural world upon which it depends.
… Even the wealthy spend most of their money on cars, houses and trips, rather than … reserve requirements, which would put our money supply back under the control of … the existing fractional-reserve system, the money supply expands during a boom and …
There's a simple way to induce us to make good environmental choices, writes Cass R. Sunstein: make them the default setting. Whether it's selecting double sided photocopies or renewable electricity tariffs, defining easily-overridden 'green defaults' is by far the most efficacious means to influence consumer choices for the environment and the planet.
… or public institution wants both to save money and to protect the environment by … especially if they can save (or do not lose) money at the same time. Many jurisdictions do …
The Jewish National Fund UK has always denied a swirl of claims over its history and activities in the Middle East, including allegations of land grabbing Palestinian villages. But campaigners want the organisation stripped of its charitable status
… proper.' During the 1950's, JNF UK used money from its donors to establish the British … get involved in Israel's political agenda. Money raised by JNF UK does not go towards any …
The human family must come together now to stop Ebola in West Africa or risk a global pandemic that could potentially kill billions, writes Glen Barry. And that will mean solving, with equity and justice, the disease's root causes: rainforest loss, poverty, war and overpopulation.
… raised. Western democracies have plenty of money to wage perma-war but apparently meager … for further disease outbreaks requires money from governments. It should not be up to …
The Drax power station in Yorkshire is the UK's biggest CO2 emitter, burns more wood each year than the entire UK timber harvest, and is a major importer of coal from strife-stricken regions of Colombia, writes Frances Howe. This Thursday campaigners will target the company's AGM to highlight its impacts on forests, biodiversity, climate and communities, in the face of Drax's PR offensive to make biomass appear 'sustainable'.
… destruction, we invested this amount of money into energy saving, retrofitting … and subsidising it is a waste of bill payers' money. We will be telling Drax and its … destruction, we invested this amount of money into energy saving, retrofitting …
A flood of smallholders that have benefited from Zimbabwe's land reform are turning to tobacco as their crop of choice, reports Ray Mwareya. But the economic gains are coming at a terrible cost - the accelerating destruction of the country's forests.
… farmers in 2000 do not have sufficient money and will to buy coal and dry their … investments, even if they have retained the money needed from past profits. Change, or …
Farmers on Palawan are being tricked into giving land away to palm oil companies with local government support, writes Rod Harbinson. Under the palm oil company 'leases' the farmers lose all rights to their land, never receive any money, and are saddled with 25 years of debt. Those who resist the land grabs are now in fear for their lives following the murder of a prominent campaigner.
… all rights to their land, never receive any money, and are saddled with 25 years of debt. …
The presence of the tigers is the world's greatest mangrove forest vital to its survival, writes Joydip Kundu. It's the fear of the tiger that deters people from entering the forest to cut its trees and hunt its wildlife - and so these majestic predators protect its fisheries, and guard millions of people in south Bengal from the rising seas.
… where the tigers live so that they could earn money from land taxes. Later, during …
The paper giant has been accused by Greenpeace of destructive logging and green-washing. But campaigners are mistaken, says APP boss Aida Greenbury - the company is supporting REDD projects and putting sustainability at the centre of operations
… offer to Indonesia. But where will that money go? Norway's $1 billion of … watch very carefully to see whether the money reaches the right pockets... NEWS …
Indonesia appears to brought rainforest logging under control - but it's all a huge illusion, according to a new EIA report. Traditional logging has been replaced by the mass clearance of rainforest for oil palm plantations, creating massive supplies of hugely profitable but often illegal timber. And lurking beneath the surface is a pervasive network of criminality and corruption.
… of permits" . The Anti-Corruption and Anti-Money Laundering Laws provide scope to look at the corruption, collusion and money politics underpinning the plantation …