Land and land-rights transactions for conservation and climate change resilience

Highlights:

  • Land and land-right transactions, i.e. exchanges between willing buyers and willing sellers for land or specific rights attached to a parcel of land, have been used worldwide to foster biodiversity conservation. They encompass three types of tools: outright purchase, conservation easements and conservation leases.
  • RESCCUE explored opportunities associated with the use of such transaction tools to strengthen the resilience of Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs). A final report summarizes the main findings of a regional review and country-specific feasibility assessments. It provides recommendations to expand the use of land and land-rights transaction tools in the Pacific region. Policy briefs on how to foster the use of such tools in Fiji, French Polynesia, New Caledonia and Vanuatu are also available.
  • In most PICTs, customary land, which is non-transferable, often represents the majority - up to 90%. On such land, long-term conservation leases are the most suitable, and several successful examples exist. Conservation easements can address the impermanence of leases, but they require a very specific legal and institutional context that is not commonly found in the region.
  • Although outright purchase appears to have a more limited development potential for PICTs, due to low purchase opportunities and the financial resources needed, it has been used successfully in several countries.
  • Such mechanisms cannot be successfully implemented without a thorough participatory process and the support of local communities.
(©SPC)
(©SPC)
Publications
Exploring opportunities for land and land-rights transactions for conservation and climate change resilience in Pacific Island Countries and Territories
1.81 MB Download
Exploring opportunities for land and land-rights transactions for conservation and climate change resilience in Pacific Island Countries and Territories: analysis of feasibility considerations
2.01 MB Download
Exploring opportunities for land and land-rights transactions for conservation and climate change resilience in Pacific Island Countries and Territories: mechanism review
1.39 MB Download
Policy brief: advancing transaction tools for conservation and climate resilience in New Caledonia
362.51 KB Download
Policy brief: advancing transaction tools for conservation and climate resilience in Fiji
164.52 KB Download
Policy brief: advancing transaction tools for conservation and climate resilience in Vanuatu
294.34 KB Download
Policy brief: advancing transaction tools for conservation and climate resilience in French Polynesia
218.75 KB Download
Examen des possibilités de mise en œuvre de transactions relatives au foncier et aux droits fonciers dans une optique de conservation et de résilience climatique dans les États et Territoires insulaires océaniens
1.85 MB Download
Note d'orientation: promotion des outils transactionnels au service de la conservation et de la resilience climatique en Nouvelle-Calédonie
470.38 KB Download
Note d'orientation: promotion des outils transactionnels au service de la conservation et de la resilience climatique aux Fidji
172.19 KB Download
Note d'orientation: promotion des outils transactionnels au service de la conservation et de la résilience climatique à Vanuatu
302.47 KB Download
Note d'orientation: promotion des outils transactionnels au service de la conservation et de la resilience climatique en Polynésie française
279.37 KB Download