Indigenous livelihoods and the global environment: understanding relationships

\n \t\t\tSimple simulation models have been built in remote locations with participation of local Indigenous peoples and their representatives to develop a shared understanding of the livelihood implications of conservation initiatives and the potential environmental impacts of measures to improve local livelihoods. Models were built with Ba'aka people in the Congo Basin, Punans and other Dayak groups in East Kalimantan, Indonesia and rural communities in Ghana. Recently, the program began developing landscape partnerships and modeling initiatives with Papuans in the West Papua province of Indonesia. The models facilitated discussion and negotiation between Indigenous peoples and representatives of conservationist groups, resource extraction companies and government officials and allowed exploration of different scenarios for both conservation and development interventions. The models failed…