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LOCKING‐IN CARBON, LOCKING‐OUT LIVELIHOODS? ARTISANAL MINING AND REDD IN SUB‐SAHARAN AFRICA
Author(s) -
Hirons Mark
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
journal of international development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.533
H-Index - 66
eISSN - 1099-1328
pISSN - 0954-1748
DOI - 10.1002/jid.1837
Subject(s) - livelihood , deforestation (computer science) , poverty , corporate governance , reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation , poverty reduction , business , psychological intervention , natural resource economics , environmental planning , environmental resource management , political science , economic growth , geography , economics , carbon stock , climate change , agriculture , ecology , archaeology , finance , computer science , biology , programming language , psychology , psychiatry
This article examines the potential mutual conflict between interventions aimed at formalising artisanal and small‐scale mining (ASM) on the one hand, and policies implemented in response to the Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) initiative on the other. Deforestation caused by ASM undermines sound forest management, and potentially threatens the implementation of REDD. Conversely, the adoption of REDD could further marginalise and criminalise the ASM sector, reducing its contribution to poverty alleviation. Reviewing a series of commonalities between ASM and forest management highlights many difficulties facing policy‐makers. Potentially, contradictory outcomes of evolving governance arrangements means novel cross‐sectoral institutions will be required to realise the full potential of REDD and ASM to address poverty reduction in a complementary fashion. The analysis reiterates the centrality of livelihoods to REDD and the need for policies to take into account local contexts. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.