Ending slavery by decarbonisation? Exploring the nexus of modern slavery, deforestation, and climate change action via REDD+

Jackson, Bethany; Decker Sparks, Jessica L

Abstract

Activities involving the deforestation are high-risk for modern slavery, and is an issue which has global consequences for forest environments and communities. Despite this, little work is being done to eradicate modern slavery from these sectors. Antislavery interventions have often been separate from the work of development providers despite sharing many congruent objectives. Here we outline one sector that could see the integration of antislavery and development interventions to support both at-risk environments and highly vulnerable communities. It is proposed that antislavery interventions are incorporated into the national strategies of the "Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation" (REDD+) programme which targets vulnerable communities to prevent deforestation and forest degradation. It is within these communities that vulnerability factors to modern slavery persist and lead to the degradation of the forest. It is posited that the incorporation of antislavery interventions with REDD+ would improve efficiencies, target more vulnerable populations, protect the environment and support the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). By combining these efforts we can combat the effects of the modern slavery-environmental degradation nexus within an ecosystem that has been shown to be vital in the fight against anthropogenic climate change. With the renewal of REDD+ due, now is the time to integrate these measures.

Citation

Jackson, B., & Decker Sparks, J. L. (2020). Ending slavery by decarbonisation? Exploring the nexus of modern slavery, deforestation, and climate change action via REDD+. Energy Research and Social Science, 69, Article 101610. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.erss.2020.101610

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: May 14, 2020
• Online Publication Date: Jun 5, 2020
• Publication Date: Nov 1, 2020
• Deposit Date: May 18, 2020
• Publicly Available Date: Jun 6, 2021
• Journal: Energy Research & Social Science
• Electronic ISSN: 2214-6296
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 69
• Article Number: 101610
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.erss.2020.101610
• Keywords: Forest Degradation; Antislavery Interventions; Tree Loss; Modern Slavery- Environmental Degradation Nexus; Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/4462985
• Publisher URL: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214629620301857?via%3Dihub