Dear madam or sir of the Colombian government:

1) Protect the human rights of indigenous, Afro-Colombian and peasant communities affected by large-scale monoculture plantations;

2) Immediately restitute the ancestral land to Afro-Colombian communities and indigenous people affected by monoculture plantations, such as the Curvaradó and Jiguamiandó Afro-Colombian communities affected by palm tree plantations and call on the Government to implement the 169 Convention of the International Labor Organisation and the Order of Provisional Measures of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights in favour of the ‘humanitarian refuge’ zones of Curvaradó and Jiguamiandó.

3) Stop further deforestation and exploitation of large-scale palm tree plantations in the Curvaradó and Jiguamiandó river basin and elsewhere in Colombia.

4) Guarantee the integral reparation of human and environmental damages generated by the imposition of large-scale monocultures and by human rights violations by State Forces.

5) Recognise and respect local civilian initiatives aimed at protecting the environment, such as the recent creation of Biodiversity Zones.

6) Review Colombia’s biofuel policy and the impacts of large-scale monocultures in general on communities, human rights and the environment, including the impacts of rainforest destruction on climate change, and impose an immediate moratorium on biofuel developments from large-scale monocultures, including from oil palms.

Thank you very much.

I've figured out clearing rainforests for palm oil is something that has to be stopped by some sort of debt-for-preservation arrangement. How to best ensure the agreement is being honoured (need transparent accounting and some of these regimes are crooked)? Nonsustainable Palm oil trade sactions or tarriffs? How to best educate and initiate the local population towards developing sustainable rainforest economies? Will debtor nations inflate their own economies a bit just to preserve rainforests in Indonesia, Malaysia and Brazil? I hope so...

Also, I'm looking for a complete list of sustainable rainforest products and ways (seals of approval) to tell these apart from unsustainable products.
Biodiesels are very politically popular in the USA and EU (supposed to be the climate good-guys). They cater to farmers, always a nice political lobby group to keep friendly in Western democracies. I'm not saying drop all farm tarriffs (cheap grains are good), but the biodiesel ideology is so imbedded...these are very powerful interests to take on.
Is sugar cane bad for rainforests? Any links? You basically almost need a sin-tax on palm oil, rubber, coffee (I'm not giving up under any circumstances) and hardwoods, the way cigarettes, gas and alcohol are taxed, for this (modern civilization) to work.
Biodiesel *research* works great. Growing present strains of corn for fuel is silly, causes riots Mexico.

stop global warming it is affect us and the envirnment do you want to be sctratch for food in 10 years do you?

STOP BURNING YOUR OWN EARTH WHICH NOT LESS THAN GOD TO US. STOP TURNING YOUR OWN DEAR FRIEND INTO YOUR ENEMY. STOP IT NOW.....STOP IT NOW.....STOP IT

I think that the Colombian government is making a big effort to develop one of the poorest areas in Colombia, perhaps you do not have enough information about the real situation there, but it can help many people that don't have work, and decrease the violence, with right environmental controls I think is a good idea.

Plantations do not provide jobs, just a few if you don't mind a lot of toxicon your hands & in the air. The factories processing means a few more but the picture is mostly loss of livlihoods where the land and everything connected has been taken by companies.

In order for an undisturbed natural forest to be what it is today in the Colombia Region of Choco, with all its existing species of flora and fauna, succesion and biological processes will take more than 100 years if environmental conditions permit.

Plantations of this sort at the expense of this rich and diverse tropical forest is just a very blind and unrresponsible thing to do. We can not tolerate or support this kind of action, so that the big financial interest of a few is protected.

Please think it twice before you start using the chainsaw, and think not only about the environment, but also the human communities that depend on these forests for their very existence.

Deforestation will stop by itself, like most of all our missuse of gaya's resources. I come from a place surrounded by big rivers. When spring comes, the ice cover gives early signs of thaw by color change, surface pools and ice internal structure. My grandfather was a specialist at knowing when it would «run». He passed away many years ago, but one thing is for sure, if he could see what we're witnessing today in Greenland and Antartica, he'd tell you to run for high grounds right now and take up gardening... Now! And dont think it will stop at a few meters. Sorry to say this, but face the truth, we will NOT stop this. And for me, as sad as this is, it will be a benediction for Gaya and those who will get thru this. Most societies will be cut-off from one another. You will need to reinvent your world. Start planning now and please try not to repeat the same mistakes. Find ways to make sure knowledge will prevail. Only 4 years ago, my friends were calling me alarmist. Now they are all asking me how to prepare. Good luck to all ! Love.

Whilst I thoroughly agree that the destruction of the rainforests is appalling, on a recent trip to Central America I had an opportunity to see another side of the coin.

Many of the people who live in these countries are poor. It can be difficult to explain to people when faced with an opportunity to make some money and enjoy a better standard of living that they mustn't touch the rainforest since it is essential to recycle the vast amounts of Co2 that rich countries generate whilst driving their SUVs..

Mark http://www.talkclimatechange.com

RESPONSE: And they will be poorer and then dead when the rainforests are gone.

Okay, so i agree with most of what you're saying. However, what exactly do you want everyone to do about it. I myself am an Earth activist but in this blog you don't give any alternative ideas just facts we already know about and complaints. Also, so you think that the population is the cause of an "ecosystem collapse"? Are you implying that we should kill off a few billion people, or limit a caring family from having children and that will make everything better? (“Grotesque?” what a horrible word to use, creative yes, but not the best choice). I’m sure that if there was a limit both you and I would not be here. The population is only an issue because of the resources each individual person consumes. (Alright I’ll stop asking questions because this entry isn’t really about you it’s about me.) Getting the word out is important in every situation as long as you have reliable verified facts. This blog was, to me, very simple and/or close minded. Just stop and think for a few moments about how many resources you, yourself, use everyday to have the lifestyle you have. Even using this computer uses a terrible amount of nonrenewable resources. Reading over my response now, I’m coming off as incredibly critical, so I would just like to say; Good work you are writing for a good cause go further with it!!!

Re: September 5, 2007 10:57 AM post by "Patchmartin" ...

What a moving and inspiring commentary.

Blessings upon you, kind and wise person.

I wish you lived down the street from our house. We are in fact thinking and talking this week about how we might best prepare for the kinds of changes we know we will probably see in our region over the next few years.

Peace.

The production of palm oil is a menace to our society and especially the forthcoming extinction of the orangutan in Borneo.

We must stop buying palm oil based products in the western world. Soap, chocolate, vegetable oil,
shampoos - the list is endless!! Check the labels for Palm Oil

The destruction of the Columbian Rainforest is yet another money spinner for the Government without any consideration for the environment.

I have stopped buying Palm Oil based products and very soon the rest of the world will know its bad, because of our campaigns to save the rainforests for the good of mankind. Biofuels are not good!

Please stop your project you are not aware of what this is doing for my future and the future of my children.

What about here in Northern Calif and Oregon? You can imagine the number of log trucks on the roads all day from about 0400 until 2000. Where are all those trees going in a housing slump?
There are also biofuel plants here...like in Weed, Ca.
Gaile

We need to decide wether destroying the rainforest or being able to drive is more important.

I think that it is all very well going on about climate change and the oil palm industries which is grown in a very small bandwidth around the equator - therefore mostely in poor countries but maybe the richer world needs to focus of helping them by removing their debt burden.

As for Colombia, this is a very tricky country and one that the oil palm industry actually offers a way forward, to reduce the overall 3000 kidnappings or so per year that has occurred over the last 54 years. The present day oil palm industry is becoming extremely professional and responsible and although in the past has been less so, should be given guidence on how to improve as oil palm is here to stay, and by the way the oil palm industry produces 10 times per ha than any other edible oil and thus is utilising less land per tonne of production, in a forever growing population. All ladies should stop putting on make up and using cosmetics, children should stop eating ice cream and cakes and guys stop using soap and shampoo. Then you may start to dent the industry that offers one of the most useful oils available and may I stress offers, especially Colombia a possible route out of its present diabolical situation.

By awarding carbon credits to these industries for suberp care over the environment will help them become even more responsible.

In my view there is too much negativity from the western world from people who like to regurgitate information and have never really experience the countries that they are writing about.