The Social Network for Justice and Human Rights

David Moore — Sun, 18 Feb 2007 01:20:51 +0000

Short Name

Rede Social

English Name

Rede Social de Justiça e Defesa dos Direitos Humanos

Local Language Name

Place

Brazil

Additional links

Rede Social's website, in Portuguese with some reports in English.

New Report on Agro-fuels from Grassroots’ Brazilian Partners

Saulo Araujo — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 16:55:48 +0000

Rede Social, a Grassroots International partner, and longtime ally the Pastoral Land Commission (CPT) released an 80-page report on the expansion of sugar cane plantations for agro-fuels in the Amazon and Central Plateau region of Brazil.

Agroenergy: Myths and Impacts in Latin America

Jake Miller — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 17:47:49 +0000

This report, which documents the human and environmental costs of the industiral biofuel model in Latin America, is the result of a seminar about the expansion of sugarcane plantations in Central and South America. The seminar, which took place in São Paulo, Brazil, from February 26-28, 2007 was organized by Brazil's Pastoral Land Commission and Grassroots' Partner, The Social Network for Justice and Human Rights.

Biofuels: The Beautiful Dream and the Painful Reality

Jake Miller — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 16:26:03 +0000

In the last month or so, magazines as diverse as the venerable National Geographic and the next-gen Wired have featured stories about the almost magical properties of industrial-scale agrofuel production, claiming that biofuels will lift the rural poor out of misery by providing high-paying jobs, reversing global warming and ending war in the Middle East.

Another World is Possible; Another US is Necessary – the United States Social Forum

Nikhil Aziz — Tue, 03 Jul 2007 21:30:06 +0000

“Our Youth is not the Future, Our Youth is the Present” – Julian Moya, Southwest Organizing Project (SWOP), Albuquerque, New Mexico

“We cannot choose the historical conditions we find ourselves in, but we can choose how we respond to them” – Ajamu Baraka, Director, U.S. Human Rights Network, Atlanta, Georgia

These two quotes, among many other hopeful messages I heard at the U.S. Social Forum (USSF) from June 27 to July 1, 2007 in Atlanta epitomized for me the USSF – what it stands for and envisions in terms of a different kind of United States. Both represent the truth embedded in the official slogan of the USSF – Another World is Possible; Another US is Necessary.

Join Grassroots International at the United States Social Forum, Atlanta, June 27-30

Daniel Moss — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 04:41:36 +0000

Please join Grassroots International at the United States Social Forum, Atlanta, June 27-30, 2007. The US Social Forum is more than a conference, more than a networking bonanza, more than a reaction to war and repression, more than a collection of local solutions. It's an important moment to further build the global movement for social justice.

The Myth of Biofuels

Jake Miller — Tue, 08 May 2007 02:39:00 +0000

A Report from Brazil's Pastoral Land Commission (CPT) and Social Network for Justice and Human Rights (Rede Social).By Edivan Pinto, Marluce Melo and Maria Luisa Mendonça*

Recent studies about the impacts caused by fossil fuels contributed in highlighting the theme of bioenergy . The energy matrix is composed of petroleum (35%), coal (23%) and natural gas (21%).On their own, the ten richest countries consume 80% of the energy produced in the world. Amongst these, the USA is responsible for 25% of pollution to the atmosphere. Analysts estimate that within 25 years, the world demand for petroleum, natural gas and coal may have an increase of 80%.

Food Sovereignty and Biofuels

Saulo Araujo — Fri, 23 Mar 2007 20:18:00 +0000

Article three in a three issue series on biofuel in Brazil.

The memorandum of understanding between Brazil and the United States signed during the visit of President Bush to Brazil early this month has been under intense scrutiny. For one, the high U.S. tariffs on Brazilian ethanol make the initiative unrealistic for now. But speculative investors are already rushing to expand the "green desert", as activists have taken to calling the vast areas of monocrops like sugar cane, soybean and castor seed that bring high profits for agribusiness and industry at the cost of rural livelihoods and biodiversity. This expansion takes land and water rights and the possibility of a dignified livelihood away from rural families.

Biofuels: The industrial model is bad for the environment, worse for workers

Saulo Araujo — Wed, 14 Mar 2007 14:58:00 +0000

The latest post in our ongoing series on biofuels, human rights and the environment in Latin America.

We hear the claims so often—biofuels will save the environment, biofuels are clean and green—that they begin to sound like common sense. The corporations tell us that biofuels made from sugar cane, castor beans and soy will save the environment from the ravages of petroleum-based fuels, and we all wish that it were true.

Bush, Biofuels and Latin America

Saulo Araujo — Thu, 08 Mar 2007 20:33:00 +0000

This is the first of three articles that we will be publishing about biofuels and their impact on trade, the environment and the water and land rights of rural workers and indigenous and traditional Afro-descendant communities in Latin America.