Research

Forests and forestlands in the tropics are supposed to serve a multitude of global and domestic interests, including development, climate change mitigation and biodiversity conserv ation. All these interests have explicit assumptions in common over their positive contribution to the economic wellbeing and social equality of society. However, who – and whose society – benefits from ongoing deforestation and forest concessions in the tropics? Our 4-year project with partners from University of Yaounde II, University of Kinshasa, University of Goettingen and the Chinese Academy of Forest Sciences aims to answer this question by analyzing global and historic data to gain an understanding of the inequalities embedded in trade and investment patterns in relation to forests and forestland in the Global South. We will investigate the mechanisms in national and global forest and land governance that produce and risk to reproduce these inequalities. Our research focus is the Congo Basin, specifically Cameroon and DRC, and the former colonial empires in Europe and China, as a new ‘external partner’.

More information in the University of Helsinki research portal 

In many parts of the tropics, forest-agriculture frontiers dominated by diverse swidden landscapes are rapidly being converted to increasingly homogenous landscapes of commodified agriculture. Often labeled as “development”, these transformations have not generated desired social-ecological outcomes and often do not fairly benefit smallholders in these landscapes. Our research thus aims to examine the power relations, politics of forest and land use, and local agency underlying transformations in forest-agriculture frontiers, and assess options for more sustainable and equitable development.

More information about FairFrontiers in the Unitersity of Helsinki research portal 

The SEQUAL research project addresses the call topic 3.1 Gender Dimension In Climate Behaviour and Decision-Making. Focusing on the sector of natural resource management we investigate gender differences in participation and leadership in climate related processes – everyday practices, decision-making and adaptation strategies – at all levels in society. We extend the frontiers of research in this field to a focus on why gender differences occur, how they are produced and reproduced and their social location (where). We conduct top-down discourse analysis of policy on climate change and gender equality in natural resource management across three countries, Norway, Sweden and Spain. We ground truth our policy analysis through qualitative case studies of reindeer husbandry in a Nordic border region across Norway-Sweden and shepherding communities in the Pyrenees mountains bordering Spain and France, and examine a case of how global discourses on climate change and gender are translated to national policy and governance of local community forests in Burkina Faso. We then focus on interactions between levels through comparative analysis across case studies and policy. The overall vision of the SEQUAL research project is to generate an understanding of the connections and flows of power in processes of climate change and gender relations, and address these issues as social, ecological and political processes across borders and across scales. Our research is framed conceptually as investigations of discourse (politics and power), and processes (the dynamics and effects of flows of power) between and across scales, operating in social-ecological systems.

More information about SEQUAL in the University of Helsinki research portal 

The Global Comparative Study on REDD+ (GCS REDD+) project including its policy component is ongoing since 2009 and led by CIFOR in cooperation with partners. It builds on more than three decades of research efforts to understand and respond to the causes of deforestation and forest degradation, and the analysis of effectiveness, efficiency and equity of policies related to forests and climate change. The first phase of REDD+ research focused on overall design issues and aimed to build a strong research-based knowledge. The second phase focused on generating new knowledge to inform and facilitate process of transformational change within the REDD+ policy arena, and understanding performance of REDD+ policy processes, measures and practices. The project is now in it's third phase, which supports REDD+ decision makers by assessing REDD+ impact and providing critical analysis of REDD+ in terms of effectiveness, efficiency (3Es).

More information about REDD+ (GCS REDD+) in the University of Helsinki research portal

REDD+ projects are being implemented in forested areas across Southeast Asia and many of these projects are located in areas where shifting cultivation or ‘swiddening’ is widely practiced and where ‘shifting cultivators,’ often minority groups, have traditional rights to land and resources. Swidden landscapes often include areas of forests and fallows that are managed for their contribution to livelihoods, basic food needs and as safety nets, and which generate multiple ecosystem services. These along with many other forms of formal and informal social forestry systems have long existed throughout Southeast Asia and they are often managed under diverse local governance structures. The project focuses on consolidating and sharing knowledge to address policy questions at all levels, including the ASEAN policy community, while maintaining strong relationships to national and subnational actors and AWG-SF focal points. 

More information in the University of Helsinki research portal