Author Archives: teresagaia
Short Circuit: how the apple of your eye is extracted from the Earth
Do you remember that feeling when you first unwrapped your latest new phone, tablet or laptop? That shiny, sleek form suggesting science fiction made fact; the gorgeous glowing graphics connecting you to the creativity of the whole world? Go on, … Continue reading
Crisis opportunism in agriculture: the cynical push for soil carbon markets instead of adaptation
[Doha, Qatar, UN Climate negotiations] Rich countries are failing to take action or support developing countries to adapt their agriculture in the face of escalating climate change, say African negotiators and climate activists at the UN climate negotiations in Doha … Continue reading
Privatising nature: solution or threat?
As communities, governments and corporations acknowledge the unavoidable reality that our planet is facing devastating ecosystem loss, a debate is emerging about the best way to value and incentivise the protection of nature. One argument put forward by governments, corporations … Continue reading
Protestors say London summit pushing global land grabs and hunger
‘Do you realise what your pension funds?’ they ask public JOINT NEWS RELEASE from Friends of the Earth,ActionAid, War on Want, Gaia Foundation, Global Witness, The Land is Ours, Biofuelwatch, Re:Common, Reclaim the Fields UK WHAT? Campaigners demonstrate outside the Agricultural Investment … Continue reading
New film sows the Seeds of Freedom:
African farming voices challenge the GM myth “Global agriculture has changed more in our lifetime than in the previous 10,000 years. But as with all change, conflicts of interest have arisen. Nowhere is this conflict more poignant than in the … Continue reading
Industrial Interests threaten Africa’s Adaptation at Climate Conference:
Soil carbon markets a “dangerous distraction” for African farmers. [Bonn, Germany] “I am sorry I was late. I was talking to my wife on the phone. She tells me that the rains have just come a month early and we … Continue reading
Adaptation strategies need to value farmers’ knowledge, instead of industrial top-down approaches.
What’s Yours is Mined: How the extractive industries are leading a new wave of global land grabbing
The issue of land grabbing has itself grabbed headlines recently. Biofuels, so-called agricultural investors, and commodity speculators buying up land have all been criticised for driving a wave of land grabbing and ecosystem destruction in Africa, Asia and Latin America. … Continue reading
A Climate-Smart Christmas present?
Farming Carbon Credits a Con for Africa: The many faces of Climate Smart Agriculture
“African Agriculture has been ignored by UN Climate Change discussions!” bellowed the South African minister for Agriculture, Tina Joemat-Pettersen at the high-level launch of Climate Smart Agriculture during the Durban climate negotiations. “We need your ideas to over throw this … Continue reading
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