Beyond green grabbing: rights, governance and nature-based solutions in the Global South

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In response to the global climate- and biodiversity crises there are growing calls to considerably scale up nature conservation efforts across the globe, with some proposals calling for protection of 50% of the earth’s surface.

However, much of the biggest potential for such initiatives lies on land that is already used by a considerable number of people for their livelihoods. One recent study estimated that at least 1.65 billion indigenous peoples and local communities live in areas of importance to nature conservation. This has led to concerns that the growing emphasis on scaling up nature protection will lead to so-called “green grabbing” whereby communities lose access to land, water and other resources that are critical for their survival. 

This seminar will discuss how the rights and benefits of indigenous people and local communities can be secured in nature-based solutions to the climate and biodiversity crisis. What are the opportunities and risks for communities in the growing emphasis on nature-based solutions, what are the lessons from the past and what are the implications for policy and practice?

Speakers
Mathew Mabele, Lecturer, University of Dodoma, Tanzania
Jens Friis Lund, Professor, University of Copenhagen
Trine Glue Doan, Senior Advisor, WWF Denmark
Stefan Thorsell, International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs (IWGIA)
Marie Ladekjær Gravesen, Postdoc, DIIS - Danish Institute for International Studies
Mikkel Funder, Senior Researcher, DIIS - Danish Institute for International Studies

Programme
Each presentation will be 15 minutes followed by 5 minutes of discussion

13.00-13.15     Introduction - the changing context of nature conservation, Mikkel Funder
13.15-13.35     Nature-based Solutions and Rights, Marie Ladekjær Gravesen
13.35-13.55     Decolonising conservation: What does it mean?, Mathew Mabele
13.55-14.15     Break
14.15-14.35     The corporate turn to nature - and its implications, Jens Friis Lund
14.35-14.55     Nature-based Solutions in practice, Trine Glue Doan
14.55-15.15     Safeguarding the rights of Indigenous Peoples in Nature-based Solutions, Stefan Thorsell
15.15-15.45     Discussion
15.45-16.00     Closing remarks

Recorded on Thursday 19 May 2022, 13.00-16.00, DIIS ∙ Danish Institute for International Studies, Auditorium