Rainforest Action Network: Human rights

Human rights

The degradation of the environment by corporate interests often reflects a fundamental disregard for human rights. The world's Indigenous and poor communities, who inhabit many of the planet's remaining intact ecosystems, are disproportionately affected. Yet, these same communities are usually the ones with the unique expertise needed to manage the sensitive ecosystems in which they live. Basic human rights and pragmatism require that local and Indigenous communities actively participate in developing plans for sustainable use of their land. RAN works with Indigenous groups around the world to ensure that industrial use of their land occurs only with their free, prior and informed consent.

Support local and Indigenous rainforest communities

Local and Indigenous communities are best positioned to sustainably manage the rainforests.

When U.S. agribusinesses clear-cut rainforests to make way for industrial soy and palm plantations, they don’t just destroy ecosystems—they destroy the communities that rely on them. RAN partners with local and Indigenous groups, drawing on their expertise and empowering them to successfully safeguard their land from industrial exploitation.

Human Rights

Learn more

Support small-scale family farmers

Small family farms can coexist with healthy ecosystems; factory farms can’t.

The massive soy and palm plantations U.S. agribusinesses are establishing in rainforests around the world squelch nearby subsistence farming and deprive local and Indigenous farmers of their traditional means of feeding themselves. Industrial farming does far more damage to the environment than small-scale family farming; it also displaces communities and corrodes traditional cultures. Support small-scale family farming in your purchases.

Learn more

Support workers' rights on soy and palm plantations

Workers on existing soy and palm oil plantations must be treated and paid fairly.

Factory farms squelch subsistence farming in nearby areas, leaving local people with no way to earn a living except by working on corporate-run plantations. Workers are often forced into “debt peonage,” which is essentially modern-day slavery. They are also exposed to the toxic chemicals that are an essential part of factory farming. RAN participates in roundtable discussions to ensure fair and safe conditions for these workers.

Human Rights

Learn more

Support Indigenous land rights in Canadian forests

Indigenous communities are often the best stewards of land they've inhabited for centuries and must always play an active role in developing plans for sustainable use.

Canada’s treaties with First Nations guarantee them the right to practice customary activities like hunting and trapping on their traditional territory. But logging companies like Weyerhaeuser have ignored the right of northwestern Ontario’s Grassy Narrows First Nation to give free, prior and informed consent for any industrial activities on its land. RAN is working closely with the Grassy Narrows community to ensure that Canada’s government and companies like Weyerhaeuser respect treaty obligations.

Free Grassy Narrows

Learn more

Coal is over, fund the future

Wind and solar power, energy efficiency, a green energy grid—these are our energy future. It’s time to end dirty coal development and invest in sustainable solutions.

Coal is the country's largest, dirtiest source of electricity and climate-changing greenhouse gases. U.S. coal plants are a leading cause of asthma and lung cancer. Despite what the coal industry would have us believe, there’s no such thing as “clean coal.” RAN is calling for a complete halt to new coal development and demanding that banks divert funding away from coal and into renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power and energy efficiency initiatives.