Recent decades have seen a rapid movement towards decentralising forest rights and tenure to local communities and indigenous groups in both developing and developed nations. Attribution of local and community rights to forests appears to be gathering increasing momentum in many tropical developing countries. Greater local control of forest resources is a response to the failure of government agencies to exercise adequate stewardship over forests and to ensure that the values of all stakeholders are adequately protected.

Os assentamentos de reforma agrária têm assumido um papel de destaque em relação ao desmatamento da Amazônia nos últimos cinco anos. Atualmente cerca de 8% do território dos estados amazônicos (41,8 milhões de hectares) encontra-se destinado aos 3.589 assentamentos de reforma agrária.

A Amazônia brasileira, que detém grande parte da maior floresta tropical do mundo, está ameaçada pela exploração descontrolada de seus recursos naturais. Mais de 750.000 km² de florestas já foram desmatados por atividades econômicas em escala industrial como a produção agropecuária, mineração, exploração ilegal de madeira e grandes projetos de infraestrutura, especialmente usinas hidrelétricas –, colocando em risco a biodiversidade incomparável da região, forçando o deslocamento de comunidades tradicionais e povos indígenas de suas terras e agravando as mudanças do clima global.

Land plays a vital and central role in the economic, social-cultural and political lives of both individuals and communities. Given its centrality in the socio-economic and political spheres, national goals such as economic development, poverty reduction, social and political stability are closely linked to land. Land provides the livelihood base for the bulk of the population especially in the rural areas where agriculture is the main occupation. Despite their importance, land and environment in Kenya have suffered decades of mismanagement that has led to the current state of degradation.

The Land Act, 2012

The Land Registration Act, 2012

The National Land Commission Act, 2012

The Environment & Land Court Act, 2011

The Urban Areas & Cities Act, 2011

THE FOREST CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT ACT, 2016 No. 34 of 2016

Date of Assent: 31st August, 2016

Date of Commencement: By Notice

In Kenya, insecure land tenure and inequitable access to land and natural resources have contributed to conflict and violence, which has in return exacerbated food insecurity. Most farmers in Kenya have no legal title for the land on which they farm. Sources of tenure insecurity can be ethnic conflicts over land between neighbouring communities, particularly in the Northern provinces, expropriation by the state or local government and land grabbing by local elite or companies. Competition is as well growing over water, especially over groundwater, which is scarce in Kenya.

This book exposes the key land use and environmental problems facing Kenya today due to lack of an appropriate national land use policy. The publication details how the air is increasingly being polluted, the water systems are diminishing in quantity and deteriorating in quality. The desertification process threatens the land and its cover. The soils are being eroded leading to siltation of the ocean and lakes. The forests are being depleted with impunity thus destroying the water catchments.

MoEFCC is the central ministry of Government of India, responsible for forest administration in the country; the page provides information on forest laws, acts, rules and guidelines etc.

Live statistics of forest and wildlife area clearances given by Ministry for diversion to non-forestry purpose for investment. Organized as per stages of clearance, level (district, state, national) where the proposal is being considered, Searchable database indicating state, proposal name, user agency, forest area requested, status of area clearance along with link to reports.

The India Environment Portal is initiated and managed by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) in 2005. It puts together information about environment and development issues in one-stop shop. Information provided include data on forest land diversion for mining state-wise and their ecological impact along with steps taken by government.

Audit of Forestland diversion  and Compensatory afforestation by Comptroller and Auditor General of India. The report provides information on forest land diverted for non-forest use, land diverted for compensatory afforestation, use of funds with identification of gaps and suggestion of corrective measures.