Increasing energy demands and concerns about global warming call for an increase in energy generation from renewable sources. Small hydropower plants represent a significant contribution to meet this demand. But the optimal use of this resource in a sustainable manner still remains a challenge. A cascade of small dams may have detrimental impacts on the environment and water use without implementation of proper mitigation measures and planning.

This document, titled Closing the Enforcement Gap: Groundtruthing of Environmental Violations in Sarguja, Chhattisgarh,is the second in the series of community led groundtruthing exercises carried out by the Centre for Policy Research (CPR)-Namati Environmental Justice Program in partnership with Janabhivyakti and Hasdeo Arand Bachao Sangharsh Samiti (HABSS).

The study assessed the socio-economic impact of the project supported by UNDP and the Government of Madhya Pradesh to support local communities in rehabilitating degraded forest, generating sustainable livelihoods and protecting the areas rich ecosystem. The project was supported by the Global Environment Facility.

The study assessed the biodiversity impact of the project supported by UNDP and the Government of Madhya Pradesh to support local communities in rehabilitating degraded forest, generating sustainable livelihoods and protecting the areas rich ecosystem. The project was supported by the Global Environment Facility.

This paper has two objectives. First, it analyzes the past research on deforestation and summarizes the findings of that research, in terms of its relevance to the development of future REDD regimes. Second, it highlights areas where future research and methodological development are needed to support national and international processes on avoided deforestation and degradation.

In this paper, we present an intensification model based on the intensity of exploitation and use of forests and forest lands as a relevant framework for analysing the appearance, dynamics, and evolution of different types of secondary forests. The systematic driving forces responsible for the disturbances and subsequent secondary forest re growth tend to change and evolve along this continuum.

This report examines whether the recent increase in biofuel feedstock production is resulting in increased deforestation rates and magnitudes within tropical regions. It reviews several methodological challenges for undertaking this analysis, and presents a set of preliminary findings. The analysis is focused on three regions from a global perspective: Latin America, southeast Asia, and sub-Saharan Africa.

Significantly increased rates of deforestation in Indonesia from the 1970s to the 2000s have brought pressure on law enforcement agencies to better enforce the law and prosecute forest crimes. Generally, criminal wrongdoing in the forestry sector is only prosecuted under the provisions of the Forestry Law. Several reports and results of studies suggest that these sanctions are ineffective in stopping crimes in the forestry sector because they only catch the petty criminals in the field. The main actors who fund and plan large-scale illegal activities persistently evade sanctions.

Agriculture needs to feed 9 billion people by 2050. This will require a 70 100% increase in food production (Godfray et al. 2010). Given climate change, a new kind of agriculture is therefore essential, one that must meet the triple challenge not only of ensuring food security, but also of adapting to future climate change and contributing to climate change mitigation. Meeting these challenges will require coordination with the mechanism known as Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation (REDD+) and other efforts to conserve forests.

Do improvements in agricultural technology protect or endanger tropical forests? This book examines this controversial issue. It includes both theoretical frameworks for analysing the issue as well as case studies covering a wide range of geographical regions, technologies, market conditions and types of agricultural procedures. The authors identify technologies, contexts and policies that are likely to be beneficial to both farmers and forests.