“Few development benefits, many human and environmental risks”. This statement encapsulates the findings of the Land Matrix Initiative’s latest analytical report entitled, “Taking stock of the global land rush”.
The analytical report examined the socio-economic and environmental impacts of the 1,865 large-scale land acquisitions (LSLAs) registered in its database. Analysis of this data, together with a literature review, found that investors often target land that is being used by smallholders and pastoralists, thereby creating competition for land and displacing users without proper consultation and/or compensation. Most notably, the report noted that global land investments have encouraged deforestation, with the greatest loss of forest cover being in Southeast Asia. For example, some investors such as First Resources in Kalimantan, Indonesia (deal #4162) have been accused of clearing conservation areas despite being certified by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO).
Such issues and challenges mean that current policies need to be drastically improved, and that land governance policies need reform to resolve key risks associated with LSLAs. To learn more about the results of the analysis and the key recommendations, you may download the report at Land_Matrix_2021_Analytical_Report.
An overview/ summary is also available at https://ww3.rics.org/uk/en/
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