The Forest is Life: Knowledge for Communities

Climate change is a commonly discussed issue nowadays and has become an environmental problem-affecting people throughout the world. Climate change is resulting in shifting weather patterns and other global effects such as unseasonal rains that affect agriculture, droughts, increased temperatures, floods, plagues and diseases. Global warming is mainly the result of rising CO2 level in the earth’s atmosphere. Scientists say about 17% to 20% of the global CO2 emissions are a result of deforestation and degradation of the forests.

This comic book provides information about climate change and REDD (Reducing Emission from Deforestation and forest Degradation in developing countries), which is one of the mitigation measures currently promoted for reducing carbon emissions into the atmosphere.

As a comic book for the communities and peoples at the grass root, the content is simplified and accompanied by illustrations and photos for visualization. It is intended primarily for the indigenous peoples and local communities, ethnic minorities and students as a guide to understand climate change, REDD and how they relate to the full and effective participation of indigenous peoples and local communities.

This comic book also provides the importance and the roles of forests in climate change, the concept of REDD, REDD+ and brief background information of implementing REDD+ as well as how REDD+ relates to indigenous peoples and local communities and why it is critically important for them, especially those living in forests, to gain knowledge and understanding of REDD+.

As an information guidebook for indigenous peoples and local communities, this publication is aimed at increasing the awareness and understanding of indigenous peoples and local communities towards climate change action and the potential negative impacts for the recognition and exercise of the collective rights of indigenous peoples, especially on the right to land, territories and resources with respect to REDD+.