Empowering Communities to Protect Rainforests

Quick Smiles:

• Indigenous communities in Papua New Guinea are preserving rainforests through new support models.
• Cash donations help locals resist offers from logging companies and protect biodiversity.
• Cool Earth’s partnership has prevented deforestation and massive carbon emissions globally.

Rainforests are vital carbon sinks, crucial for Earth’s climate and biodiversity. In Milne Bay, Papua New Guinea, the community of Saipa has found a way to protect their forest home from loggers by partnering with Cool Earth, an NGO that provides cash aid without conditions.

The region hosts unique wildlife, but daily life remains tough for residents who must grow or collect their necessities. Earning cash for basics like rice and soap means a long journey on foot to the nearest town. This situation makes quick money from logging companies very tempting.

Saipa recalls, “We feel proud of our relationship with the forest, but the life we live in the village is very difficult.”

When loggers returned recently, the community confidently declined their offer, thanks to support from Cool Earth. “We didn’t want the loggers to take our rainforest,” says Saipa. “We want to protect it.”

Cool Earth’s innovative approach empowers Indigenous communities by addressing their immediate needs, helping them say no to exploitation. Since 2008, their model has been implemented in the Peruvian Amazon, the Congo Basin, and Papua New Guinea, safeguarding more than 2.1 million acres of rainforest and preventing 500 million tonnes of carbon emissions.

Environmental anthropologist Robert Fletcher explains, ‘If Indigenous peoples can be provided an alternative income that doesn’t rely on resource exploitation, then this will potentially empower them.’

Traditional conservation strategies tied to carbon offsetting often miss the mark, but direct support allows communities to truly become stewards of the forest. Regina Kewa, Cool Earth’s country manager, observes, ‘When Cool Earth meets the communities’ needs, then we become allies in forest conservation, which addresses the bigger picture of the climate crisis.’

Stories like Saipa’s offer hope for rainforests around the world, showing that community-driven solutions are making a real difference. Helping projects like Cool Earth ensures vibrant forests and resilient communities for generations to come.

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