People's Convention on Natural Resources
November 22-25, 2006
Loei, Thailand  

People and Planet First!
Asserting people's sovereignty over natural resources

Themes:
Land and Genetic Resources
Forestry and Mineral Resources
Freshwater and Marine Resources

Organized by Asia Pacific Research Network (APRN)

in partnership with:
Sustainable Development Foundation (SDF)
Asia Pacific Forum on Women Law and Development (APWLD)
Thai NGO Coordinating Committee on Development (Thai NGO-COD)
Loei Rajabhat University

What is the People's Convention on Natural Resources?

In the last two decades, corporate-led globalization has accelerated the reckless consumption of resources that is threatening the earth and its people.

Overexploitation of the earth's natural resources greatly impacts on the poor who suffer the most from resource depletion and environmental degradation.

Although public awareness on environmental issues has increased tremendously, the process towards conservation of natural resources and reduction of environmental degradation has been slow. Globalization and the promotion of TNCs has actually resulted in the intensification of natural resource extraction industries such as mining, logging, intensive aquaculture and the like.

Efforts by grassroots organizations and social movements to address urgent issues related to corporate overexploitation of natural resources have been very successful in preventing inroads by TNCs and in asserting public control.

People's initiatives to assert their collective right to self-determination under the slogan of people's sovereignty have put a stop to the neoliberal Mining Act of 1995 in the Philippines, and have led to the success of the indigenous peoples of Bolivia in the Cochabamba water issue.

There is now a need to assess, learn and promote new initiatives in exercising people's sovereignty in natural resources issues.

The People's Convention covers three main themes: land and genetic resources, freshwater and marine resources, and forests and mineral resources. The People's Convention shall seek to come up with a manifesto or People's Agenda that embodies the people's concerns and aspirations on the natural resources and environment issues.

What are the objectives of the People's Convention?

1. Achieve a common understanding of the issue of natural resources overexploitation in the context of corporate globalization in its different areas, contexts and forms;
2. Develop researches into various aspects of the issue of natural resources and promote coordination on research and information sharing in these aspects;
3. Bring different stakeholders into a common discussion to build a policy advocacy platform based on the principle of people and planet over profit to stop overexploitation by corporations promoted by policies of neoliberal globalization; and
4. Explore possible international alternative people-powered mechanisms for protecting the environment in the framework of sustainable utilization of natural resources for the benefit of the community.

Who will be involved?

The People's Convention is organized by APRN in partnership with APRN members in Thailand & Thai NGO Coordinating Committee on Development, Asia-Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development, Sustainable Development Foundation, and the coalition of Northeast organizations and movements of Thailand. The faculty, staff and students of Loei Rajabhat University will also be involved in organizing and hosting the event.

About 600 peasants, workers, fisherfolk, women, environmentalists, indigenous peoples and NGO participants from Asia Pacific and from other global regions are expected to attend the People's Convention on Natural Resources.

About APRN

The Asia Pacific Research Network (APRN) was established in 1998 to develop cooperation among alternative research centers, NGOs, and social movements in the Asia-Pacific region and raise capacity in advocacy and education, particularly in the conduct of research, education, information and advocacy related activities.

The APRN has helped bring into focus pertinent issues that affect the Region, addressing issues on trade, debt, financing for development, peace and security, gender, food and agriculture, migration, labor, TNCs, regional cooperation, and human rights, among others. The APRN sees these issues both as a challenge and an opportunity for research and in raising the level of social awareness, advocacy and growth of social movements across the Region.

CURRENTLY APRN has a membership of 38 international, regional, and national coalitions and organizations coming from or based in 17 countries.

 

For more details, please get in touch with:

APRN Secretariat
2nd Floor, IBON Center
114 Timog Avenue, Quezon City, Philippines
Telephone (632) 9277060-92 local 202
Fax (632) 425-1387
secretariat@aprnet.org
www.aprnet.org

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