Despite the disagreement of many organisations, Congress approved the updating of the Forestry Law on 14 December. At the same time, two members of parliament called for this decision to be reviewed, but on 10 January, the President of Parliament ordered the promulgation of this reform, which is supposed to facilitate the acquisition of title deeds (essential from January 2025 for <\/span>all exports to the European Union<\/span><\/a>). A few weeks later, the resistance continued! <\/span>The director of SERFOR<\/span> (the forestry authority), Luis Alberto Gonz\u00e1les Z\u00fa\u00f1iga Guzm\u00e1n, alerted the deputy minister of agriculture to the risks of deforestation caused by the updating of Peru’s Forestry Law. On 1 February, <\/span>UN rapporteur Francisco Cal\u00ed Tzay<\/span><\/a> warned of the dangers posed by this law for indigenous peoples\u2019 and territories\u2019. Finally, on 6 March, civil society, environmental groups and representatives of indigenous peoples <\/span>marched together across the country<\/span><\/a> to demand an end to the modification of the law, which is detrimental to forests and indigenous peoples. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div> In a fervent opposition, our organization strongly opposes the proposed amendment to Law 29763, commonly known as the Forest and Wildlife Law, by certain deputies of the Republic of Peru. The approval of this law would represent a significant setback in our ongoing efforts to protect Peru’s Amazonian forests. We aim to clearly explain the reasons behind our stance:<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div> The Forest and Wildlife Law (<\/span>Law No. 29763<\/span><\/a>) in Peru establishes that forest zoning must be approved by the Ministry of the Environment (MINAM), responsible for ensuring the sustainability of natural resources. This law defines the uses of forest lands, taking into account technical, social, and economic aspects. To obtain land ownership, it is necessary to request authorization that determines the primary use of each plot, such as agriculture, forest conservation, protected areas, etc. Currently, land ownership can only be granted if the primary use is known, and there are rules governing any subsequent modifications.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div> The proposed amendment to the Forest Law aims to promote development through forest zoning in different regions of the country. This amendment proposes to include an additional provision to modify the current classification regime of lands based on their primary use, as well as the rules allowing land use changes.<\/span><\/p>\n Under the current law, the approval of forest zoning falls under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of the Environment (MINAM), responsible for ensuring the sustainability of natural resources in Peru. However, with the proposed modification, the Ministry of Agrarian Development and Irrigation (MIDAGRI) would become responsible for validating forest zoning.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div> MIDAGRI, which is responsible for the development and promotion of agricultural and livestock activities in Peru, does not comprehensively consider biodiversity and ecosystems. In the Peruvian Amazon region alone, approximately <\/span>9 million hectares<\/span><\/a> have been deforested to expand agricultural land. Without an entity responsible for forest protection and conservation promotion, forest zoning would be limited to production criteria.<\/span><\/p>\n Granting land titles without prior evaluation or study would pave the way for agricultural expansion over forests. This change in land use would equate to deforestation, resulting in approximately <\/span>150,000 hectares lost annually<\/span><\/a>. Without a technical study, the right to convert forest areas into agricultural land would be granted.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div> Indigenous peoples are vulnerable and could see their lands affected. The law allows for the formalization of land titles in all untitled areas. Several indigenous territories currently in the process of formalization could be impacted by the presence of individuals owning land and engaging in agricultural activities. Modifying the forest law would facilitate <\/span>land trafficking in the Amazon<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n