Our Take

The horrific toll of the war in the eastern DRC has put a global spotlight on the deadly role of “critical minerals” in fueling violence and displacement. Backed by Rwanda, the M23 militia has seized key mines and cities, killing thousands, committing widespread sexual violence, and displacing millions. These atrocities are deeply tied to the global demand for minerals like lithium, tin, coltan, and tungsten., Footnotes View allClose“Net zero means cutting carbon emissions to a small amount of residual

La nouvelle offensive du M23 et des forces rwandaises dans l'est de la République démocratique du Congo coïncide avec le premier anniversaire du protocole d'accord(link is external) signé entre l'Union européenne et le Rwanda pour coopérer sur la fourniture de minerais critiques.

Le matin du 7 décembre 2023, des confettis pleuvaient sur Alan Kessler, le PDG d’African Agriculture, alors qu’il sonnait la cloche d’ouverture de la bourse du NASDAQ et que la société fêtait son entrée à la bourse de New York. La mission revendiquée de l’entreprise étatsunienne était alors de « garantir l’approvisionnement en nourriture et protéine pour le siècle à venir » tout en offrant « une valeur significative à ses actionnaires ». Pour atteindre cet objectif, elle a présenté des projets ambitieux visant à produire des aliments pour bétail destinés à l’exportation et à vendre des crédits carbone sur une superficie stupéfiante de plus de 2,9 millions d’hectares de terres en Mauritanie, au Niger et au Sénégal.

On the morning of December 7, 2023, confetti rained down on Alan Kessler, the CEO of African Agriculture, as he rang the opening bell at the NASDAQ stock exchange and the company started trading publicly. The US-based firm’s claimed mission: “secure food and protein for the coming century” while delivering “significant value for its shareholders.” Towards this goal, it touted lofty plans to produce animal feed for export and sell carbon credits on a staggering over 2.9 million hectares of land across Mauritania, Niger, and Senegal.

On May 18, 2024, the Kenyan government demolished and burned down the homes of over 200 Indigenous residents of Baringo County in Northern Kenya, with the intent to drive them out of their ancestral lands. The evictions carried out by the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) targeted families residing in and around the Lake Kamnarok National Reserve (LKNR), with the stated goal(link is external) of protecting its ecosystem.

On December 8, 2020, US President-elect Joe Biden chose Tom Vilsack to head the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Vilsack had served as USDA Secretary under President Obama. Black farmers were outraged. One farmer, Michael Stovall, founder of Independent Black Farmers, said of Vilsack, “When it comes to civil rights, the rights of people, he’s not for that. It’s very disappointing they even want to consider him coming back after what he has done to limited resource farmers and what he continues to do to destroy lives.” Black farmers’ disappointment with Vilsack’s selection was compounded by the fact that Biden’s campaign specifically courted Black farmers more than any in recent years. Biden’s decision, however, can be seen as the continuation of century-long US agricultural policies that have played an instrumental role in one of the greatest overlooked civil rights issues in American history: the loss of Black farmland in the United States in the 20th and 21st centuries.

Farmers protests in Brussels. Source: Confédération paysanne A wave of farmer protests has spread across Europe since January 2024. In several countries, including France, Belgium, Greece, Italy, Spain, Poland, Germany, and the Netherlands, farmers have mobilized through demonstrations and roadblocks to protest unfair competition, tax burdens, excessive regulation, and an overall lack of recognition and support. One example of the difficulties faced by farmers – one that many protestors point to – is the dumping of cheap Ukrainian chicken into Europe.

Manifestations d'agriculteurs à Bruxelles. Source : Confédération paysanne Une vague de manifestations d'agriculteurs se répand à travers l'Europe depuis janvier 2024. Dans plusieurs pays, dont la France, la Belgique, la Grèce, l'Italie, l'Espagne, la Pologne, l'Allemagne et les Pays-Bas, les paysans protestent contre la concurrence déloyale, les charges fiscales, la réglementation excessive et un manque général de reconnaissance et de soutien.

Beneath John and Patrick McEnroe's Epic Tanzania Tour's veneer of luxury and a special, one-of-a-kind experience, lurks a grim reality.

If the plans move forward, MIGA would not only be insuring a false climate solution that has spectacularly failed to reduce emissions over the past 20 years, but it would also provide insurance against host countries attempting to regulate the carbon trade.

World Bank's latest Business Ready or B-Ready project, announced on May 1, 2023, resuscitates the defunct Doing Business Report (DBR). Since its creation two decades ago, the DBR has been used to drive policy and regulatory changes that favor businesses and corporations at the expense of the people and the planet.

The top destination for Ukraine's agricultural exports is the European Union, with China being second. Spain is the largest recipient in Europe. Instead of offering relief, Ukrainian exports are threatening the livelihoods of millions of European farmers.

The Western conservation industry is advancing plans that threaten to eliminate the basic rights of millions of Indigenous Peoples around the world.