Madagascar: environmental NGOs raise alarm over fires and trafficking
Ninety environmental NGOs in Madagascar sent a letter to the head of state in early September, made public at the end of last week, calling for stronger action against forest fires and for firmer justice against trafficking in wood, minerals and tortoises. The letter cites an August incident in the Makira protected area, where people who plundered resources were released by a court and later returned to burn offices and a village. The signatories warn that without action Madagascar will lose 93% of its 1950 forest cover within 25 years.
Why it matters: This illustrates the briefing's theme of environmental governance, showing how impunity and weak enforcement allow forest fires and natural-resource trafficking to persist in Madagascar.