Suchergebnisse

Unidad de excelencia María de Maeztu MdM-2015-0552 ; In the development of national governance systems for Reducing Emissions fromDeforestation and forest Degradation (REDD+), countries struggle with ensuring that decision-making processes include a variety of actors (i.e., input legitimacy) and represent their diverse views in REDD+ policy documents (i.e., output legitimacy).We examine these two dimensions of legitimacy using Mexico's REDD+ readiness process during a four-year period (2011-2014) as a case study. To identify REDD+ actors and how they participate in decision-making we used a stakeholder analysis; to assess actors' views and the extent to which these views are included in the country's official REDD+ documents we conducted a discourse analysis. We found low level of input legitimacy in so far as that the federal government environment agencies concentrate most decision-making power and key land-use sectors and local people's representatives are absent in decision-making forums. We also observed that the REDD+ discourse held by government agencies and both multilateral and international conservation organisations is dominant in policy documents, while the other two identified discourses, predominantly supported by national and civil society organisations and the academia, are partly, or not at all, reflected in such documents. We argue that Mexico's REDD+ readiness process should become more inclusive, decentralised, and better coordinated to allow for the deliberation and institutionalisation of different actors' ideas in REDD+ design. Our analysis and recommendations are relevant to other countries in the global South embarking on REDD+ design and implementation.

Las relaciones existentes entre la sociedad y los ecosistemas naturales son complejas y es necesario entenderlas para emprender acciones que contribuyan a un manejo sustentable. Con el objetivo de evaluar la influencia de algunas actividades antropogénicas sobre los ecosistemas que integran el Área Natural Protegida Sierra Fría se condujeron 20 entrevistas, 10 de ellas dirigidas a propietarios y 10 a los manejadores de los predios. El formato de entrevista incluyó los tiempos: pasado, presente y futuro, para analizar las actividades y fenómenos causantes de las alteraciones en el paisaje. Se realizaron análisis radiales para observar las principales amenazas y detectar los recursos bióticos más usados. Los resultados muestran que los disturbios más fuertes disminuyeron en las décadas de los 70 y 90 del siglo XX. Actualmente, la extracción de leña muerta, cacería cinegética y los saneamientos forestales, son las actividades de manejo más importantes, mientras que las principales amenazas son la fragmentación del hábitat y la extinción de fauna silvestre. Los recursos bióticos más usados son la fauna silvestre y los encinos (Quercus spp.), madroños (Arbutus spp.) y táscates (Juniperus spp.), como recursos maderables. Los resultados obtenidos servirán para diseñar estrategias de manejo con una visión socio-ecosistémica en la Sierra Fría, Aguascalientes.

Based on qualitative research and a case study analysis, this article describes how a local conservation initiative grounded on the potential to trade carbon offsets in the voluntary market has triggered a multipurpose scheme for community conservation in the ejido of Felipe Carrillo Puerto, Mexico. We describe how the Felipe Carrillo Puerto has engaged in the creation of two community-conserved areas, an ecotourism venture, and two projects of payment for environmental services. We show how creating a portfolio of conservation projects has allowed the ejido to diversify their sources of income in addition to creating an important number of jobs related to conservation. We discuss the implications of the community experiences with different conservation schemes, the market-based instruments that can trigger community conservation, and the importance of giving local communities the opportunity to define their own conservation paths.

This article explores the relationship between institutional funding for research and community-based or co-enquiry research practice. It examines the implementation of co-enquiry research in the COMBIOSERVE project, which was funded by the European Commission's Seventh Framework Programme for research and innovation, between the years 2012 and 2015. Research partnerships between Latin American and European civil society organisations, research institutions, and Latin American rural communities are analysed. Challenges for effective collaboration in co-enquiry and lessons learned for research policy and practice are outlined. Based on our case study we suggest that: (1) the established values and practices of academia seem largely unfavourable towards alternative forms of research, such as co-enquiry; (2) the policies and administrative practices of this European Commission funding are unsuitable for adopting participatory forms of enquiry; and (3) the approach to research funding supports short engagements with communities whereas long-term collaborations are more desirable. Based on our case study, we propose more flexible funding models that support face-to-face meetings between researchers and communities from the time of proposal drafting, adaptation of research processes to local dynamics, adaptation of administrative processes to the capacities of all participants, and potential for long-term collaborations. Large-scale funding bodies such as European Commission research programmes are leaders in the evolution of research policy and practice. They have the power and the opportunity to publicly acknowledge the value of partnerships with civil society organisations and communities, actively support co-enquiry, and foment interest in innovative forms of research. ; info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion