Elizabeth Maruma Mrema reading indigenous rights petition

Dec 8, 2022

Petition delivered to UN – “A better way to protect biodiversity”

Rainforest Rescue delivered a petition with more than 65,000 signatures to the Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity, Elizabeth Maruma Mrema.

Amazon rainforest

Dec 7, 2022

COP 15: Can the UN stop the extinction crisis?

Can we stop the mass extinction of animal and plant species? Nothing less is at stake at the UN Biodiversity Conference from December 7 to 19 in Montréal.

A group of around 20 people, with the President of Panama in the center of the picture, present the signed law at the entrance to the presidential palace

Dec 2, 2022

Panama: Santa Maria River communities establish protected area

Farmers, environmental activists and scientists in Panama are celebrating a huge success for nature: 3,400 square kilometers of river basin have been protected!

Collage with the RSPO logo and the tagline "19 years of deceit" over a cleared rainforest

Dec 1, 2022

The RSPO and “sustainable” palm oil: 19 years of deception is enough!

For 19 years, the RSPO has served the palm oil industry and its clients as a shield and marketing tool to deflect criticism and complaints and to deceive the public.

Batwa people near Kahuzi-Biega National Park

Nov 29, 2022

DR Congo officially recognizes the rights of Indigenous people

The Democratic Republic of Congo has recognized the rights of Indigenous people with a new law. It remains to be seen how the law will be put into practice, however.

A group of people holding a banner opposing tree plantations

Nov 17, 2022

Environmentalists empower thousands of villagers

Protecting rainforests often happens in small ways. For example, by working to empower local people by educating them about their rights and the dangers of deforestation.

Aerial view of PT Vale Indonesia nickel mine

Nov 14, 2022

From Indonesia to the G20: “Electric vehicles are a false solution to climate change”

Official Statement of the People and the Sulawesi Alliance, Indonesia, related to the G20 Summit Meeting in Nusa Dua Bali

PT Vale Indonesia nickel mine in South Sulawesi

Nov 14, 2022

G20 Summit Meeting in Nusa Dua Bali: Statement of the People and the Sulawesi Alliance about the nickel industry in Indonesia

Stop Financing and Investment in Mines, and Nickel Smelters and Their Supporting Coal Power Plants in Indonesia. Electric Vehicles Are a False Solution to Climate Change.

Bonobo

Nov 10, 2022

The looming threat of fossil fuel companies in Africa

The fossil fuel industry is pushing hard into Africa. In the Congo Basin alone, the endangered rainforest area is almost twice the size of Germany.

A man working with seedlings

Nov 7, 2022

The “Tigers of Pining” reforest the Leuser ecosystem

The residents of the village of Pining are healing the wounds in the Leuser ecosystem. Thousands of seedlings will grow up to restore the rainforest.

Aerial view of the Amazon rainforest, river landscape

Nov 4, 2022

Bolsonaro voted out – but is the Amazon rainforest safe?

“We're relieved, even though Bolsonaro left Brazil divided. Now is the time to calm down, the fight goes on. It's a victory of democracy over fascism”

Giraffes in South Africa

Nov 2, 2022

Speaking out makes a difference: investors shun TotalEnergies’ oil pipeline

Fossil fuel giant TotalEnergies is having problems finding banks and insurance companies for its planned EACOP oil pipeline project in eastern Africa.

Men loading timber onto a truck

Oct 17, 2022

“Vanishing Forests” study names those responsible for deforestation

A study by Nigerian environmentalists analyzes the causes and names those responsible for deforestation in Nigeria’s Cross River state.

Three indigenous men in the jungle of Sarawak

Oct 17, 2022

Sarawak: Palm oil project off the table for good

The threat to Gunung Mulu National Park in Malaysia from the palm oil industry has finally been averted – a great success for the indigenous peoples living there.

Children in the fishing village of Vishumbi, Virunga National Park, Democratic Republic of the Congo

Sep 30, 2022

DR Congo: “We’ll keep our forests, you keep your dollars!”

According to a Greenpeace report backed by Rainforest Rescue, a majority of rural people in DR Congo oppose the sellout of the forests for oil exploration.

Traditional chiefs in Lokutu, DRC

Sep 27, 2022

DR Congo: Soldiers terrorize villagers, driving them into the forest

Fearing arbitrary arrests and violence, numerous villagers have fled into the forest on the outskirts of PHC’s oil palm plantations.

Trench around Okomu Oil Palm plantation in Nigeria

Sep 21, 2022

Nigeria: Villages once again being torched for palm oil

Peace remains elusive for people living near Okomu’s oil palm plantations: On September 2nd, houses were burned down in the village of Agbede and others were looted.

Murchison Falls, Uganda

Sep 20, 2022

EU Parliament condemns oil production in Africa

In a resolution, the European Parliament warned against the devastating consequences of the projects for the environment and the climate.

Montage: Day Against Tree Monocultures

Sep 16, 2022

Brazil: Indigenous Pataxó face violent reprisals after occupying plantation

The indigenous Pataxó want to protect their land from further destruction by the paper and pulp industry by occupying a eucalyptus plantation.

Aerial view of cerrado in Brazil, landscape with forest and river

Sep 15, 2022

Brazilian indigenous people call on EU to protect all biomes

Using tree coverage alone as a benchmark for nature conservation is too short-sighted. All biomes must be covered by the planned EU regulation.

Peat forest cleared for oil palm plantation in Sarawak, Malaysia

Sep 12, 2022

Agriculture drives more than 90 percent of tropical deforestation

According to a new study, more than 90 percent of tropical deforestation is driven by agriculture. A large part of the cleared land remains unused, however

Elephant in Tanzania

Sep 6, 2022

Uganda: Oil project stoking human-elephant conflict

Is oil exploration in Uganda’s Murchison Falls National Park driving elephants into human settlements? Local people are convinced of this and are sounding the alarm.

Three Papuans putting up a sign in front of their forest

Sep 1, 2022

Papua: Deforestation for palm oil and paper industries on the rise

The analysis of current satellite data shows that deforestation in Papua’s rainforests has not slowed. Palm oil and paper companies are mostly behind the destruction.

Paya-Nie ecosystem, Sumatra

Aug 3, 2022

Indonesia: 300 hectares of wetlands protected

With support from Rainforest Rescue, our partners succeeded in having blast fishing and deforestation banned in the Paya-Nie wetlands.

Gorilla mother and baby in Virunga

Jul 26, 2022

The international community has spoken: NO to oil from the Congo Basin!

African environmental activists in DR Congo delivered our petition – with more than 106,650 signatures – to the office of the Congolese president in Kinshasa on Monday.

Clearing for logging road

Jul 4, 2022

Malaysia: Wholesale deforestation looms in Sarawak

The government of the Malaysian state of Sarawak is opening no less than 1.27 million hectares of forest for logging. Indigenous people fear for their land and livelihood.

Maasai in Tanzania

Jun 14, 2022

Tanzania: Violence against Maasai people escalating

Numerous Maasai have been injured by security forces. The indigenous people are resisting expulsion from their traditional land.

Demonstration for the release of village chief Willem Hengki from Kinipan in front of the court in Palangkaraya

Jun 14, 2022

Borneo: Freedom for Willem Hengki – an open letter to the court

The village of Kinipan in Borneo is fighting back against deforestation for palm oil: An open letter to the court speaks out against criminalizing indigenous people.

Portrait of indigenous leader Sarapo Ka'apor wearing a feather headdress

May 26, 2022

The conservation community mourns Sarapo Ka'apor

The indigenous Kaapor people of Brazil are calling on the authorities to clarify the circumstances surrounding the death of their leader Sarapo Ka'apor.

Murchison Falls, Uganda

May 19, 2022

Deutsche Bank rejects EACOP pipeline project

The planned EACOP oil pipeline in Africa is running out of financiers: Deutsche Bank has now rejected the fossil-fuel project.

Nickel mine in Morowali Nature Reserve on Sulawesi

May 18, 2022

Open letter to Elon Musk from Indonesia: NO to nickel mining for EVs!

Nickel mining, smelting and factory construction are destroying the rainforest, polluting the ocean and wrecking human livelihoods: an open letter to Elon Musk.

Amazon rainforest

May 4, 2022

2021: World loses 11.1 million hectares of tropical forest

The world lost 11.1 million hectares of tropical forest in 2021, with particularly alarming developments in Brazil and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

A river flowing through the rainforest

Apr 25, 2022

More than expected: 73,300 tree species on Earth

A new study concludes that an estimated 73,300 tree species exist on Earth, with 9,200 of them still undiscovered by science.

Benzoin tree in North Sumatra (Styrax benzoin)

Apr 19, 2022

A man-made disaster: Mega-plantations in the rainforests of Sumatra

Mega-plantations are consuming millions of acres of forest and destroying the livelihoods of smallholders. A brief look at the reality of "Food Estates" in North Sumatra.

Aerial view of the Sapara rainforest from a small plane

Apr 14, 2022

Ecuador: The Sápara people reclaim 251,503 hectares of rainforest

With the support of Rainforest Rescue, the indigenous Sápara people of Ecuador have regained ownership of their rainforest after months of legal battles.

Papua man from the Gebze clan, Merauke, Indonesia

Mar 17, 2022

Moorim paper company destroys pristine forests in Papua, Indonesia

Papua, a paradise for biodiversity and indigenous culture, is being devastated for paper. An investigation details the destruction of pristine forests in Papua, Indonesia.

Traditional chiefs in Lokutu, DRC

Mar 1, 2022

Development banks shirk responsibility for victims of land grabbing and violence

DEG has sold its shares in the Congolese plantation company PHC, leaving local people vulnerable to the whims of the new investors.

Indigenous people protesting, a banner in the background

Feb 22, 2022

Ecuador: Constitutional Court backs indigenous people in fight against gold mining

Illegal gold mining concessions in the territory of the indigenous A'i Cofán must revoked. The Constitutional Court upheld the complaints of the indigenous people.

A young Indonesian with a wheelbarrow filled with palm fruits

Feb 17, 2022

A victory for land rights: Penyang village prevails in court

An encouraging precedent: Mr. Hiden from Penyang in Borneo prevailed against a palm oil company. According to the court ruling, the company must return the stolen land.

Giraffes

Feb 14, 2022

Namibia: Canadian oil company reportedly destroys pristine bushland

ReconAfrica, a Canadian oil company, is reported to have destroyed bushland in Namibia. The company has announced plans to drill three to six additional test wells in 2022.

Protest against Okomu Oil Palm Oil in Nigeria

Feb 11, 2022

72,643 signatures delivered to UN over Africa deals with Bolloré

It was a wake-up call for three UN agencies: On Monday, Rainforest Rescue and the Oakland Institute sent them a petition with 72,643 signatures.

Indigenous Maasai herdsman

Feb 2, 2022

Maasai fears of eviction are growing

In Tanzania, the situation for the pastoralist Maasai people is coming to a head: Plans by the authorities to evict tens of thousands of people are taking shape.

Protest by the citizens of Kinipan in front of the court in Palangkaraya, 2022

Feb 2, 2022

Defenders of Kinipan Forest in Borneo taken to court

The village of Kinipan in the mountains of Borneo has become a symbol of the dispute over forest rights. Now their village chief is on trial.

EU Commissioner Věra Jourová (right) accepts the petition

Feb 1, 2022

Petition with 213,432 signatures delivered to European Commission

The home stretch was breathtaking, with the number of signatures going up dramatically in the closing hours – 213,432 supporters had signed our petition to the EU.

A group of oil workers work between two streams of black oil that have spilled down a boulder-covered mountainside in the rainforest. In the background, a section of pipe from the oil pipeline can be seen.

Feb 1, 2022

Ecuador: Pipeline rupture causes oil spill in rainforest

The OCP pipeline was built with a million-euro loan from Westdeutsche Landesbank. Indigenous organizations complain about the pollution of rivers in the Amazon region.

African elephant in forest

Jan 7, 2022

Ivory trade in the EU is (almost) history

The protection of elephants is making headway: the European Commission is finally moving to close loopholes in the trade in ivory within Europe.

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