30 October 2014: The Rights and Resources Initiative (RRI) hosted its 16th Dialogue on Forests, Governance and Climate Change, in partnership with Instituto Bien del Común (IBC). The event was organized under the theme ‘Investments, Communities and Climate Change: Risks and Opportunities.’

The RRI Dialogue, which took place on 30 October 2014, in Lima, Peru, brought together over 100 representatives from governmental, non-governmental and intergovernmental organizations who engaged in discussions on: overlapping rights, drivers of deforestation and investments; safeguards, standards and climate change; protecting rights and forests in the context of climate change; and the way forward, including new approaches and a broader vision towards the 20th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 20) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

On overlapping rights, drivers of deforestation and investments, panellists highlighted, inter alia, the growing attention to forests stemming from increasing demands for resources, the effect of overlapping tenure claims on feelings of insecurity, and the importance of establishing dialogue spaces. A report by the Munden Project, titled ‘Communities as Counterparties: Preliminary Review of Concessions and Conflict in Emerging and Frontier Markets,’ launched during the session, establishes that indigenous and local communities inhabit over 90% of resource concessions issued in key tropical countries.

On safeguards, standards and climate change, panelists presented on World Bank programmes on reducing deforestation, the rising influence of Chinese investment in Latin American land and resources, and land rights-related successes and challenges of Afro-Colombian communities.

In the discussion on rights and forests’ protection, participants heard on government programmes in the areas of conservation and sustainable use of tenured forest areas. Other issues highlighted included the principle of free, prior and informed (FPI) consent in policies relating to indigenous communities, and inclusive participatory policy-making processes. Participants also called for ensuring a higher level of engagement for indigenous communities during COP 20.

RRI is a coalition of 13 partners and over 140 collaborator organizations working to advance forest tenure, policy and market reforms, and promoting action on pro-poor forest policy. The Rights and Resources Group, a US-based non-profit organization, serves as the RRI secretariat. The RRI Dialogues seek to foster critical reflection and learning on: forest governance; the rights of forest communities and indigenous peoples; and forest tenure in the context of global climate action. [RRI Event Webpage] [Publication: Communities as Counterparties: Preliminary Review of Concessions and Conflict in Emerging and Frontier Markets] [IISD RS Coverage of the 16th RRI Dialogue]