The set of problems involving land property in Latin America has been the subject of controversy, legislation and political struggle ever since the occupation of its territory by the European colonizers in the post-Mercantilism era. In recent years, however, the need for food and energy production, the need for environmental preservation and the speculative use of land, has aroused a new wave of debate over land acquisition.

Thousands came together in "Hopenhagen" from 7-18 December 2009 for what was the most covered and talked about of any United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNF CCC) Conference of the Parties (COP) to date. Reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries (REDD-plus)1 was one of few issues on which progress was made. However, implications of the wider negotiations for REDD-plus are not yet clear.