Natural Resources

Healthy river ecosystems are vital for life. This article presents an innovative approach that fosters positive impacts on the ecological health of rivers, promoting the long-term sustainability of both social well-being and riverine environments.

The Mekong riverbank gardening is a critical part of local livelihoods. It supports riverine communities through vital food production, reciprocal exchanges, and additional income generation. However, changes to the river’s ecosystems caused by many large-scale dams threaten these ways of life. 

Thirty two Indigenous leaders from thirteen countries have issued a declaration calling for fundamental reforms to global certification schemes that impact Indigenous Peoples’ rights.

The mining of rare earths is not just about international raw materials policy, as a new study from Myanmar shows. It is also about environmental justice, local governance and the future of the civil war-torn country.

Southeast Asia’s geographical location is blessed with abundant natural resources – minerals, forests, and wildlife. For hundreds of years, these resources have been a source of livelihood and even life for Indigenous peoples, as well as local communities. However, the capitalist perspective of development is rapidly encroaching on the mineral-rich lands of these peoples. 

Climate-smart mining appears to be a better alternative to traditional mining, known for its destructive nature. By hyphenating ‘climate’ with smart mining, it is a repackaged tool to attract the mineral-rich but developing countries.