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Speaker:  Dr Mary Menton, Research Fellow with the GESPA (Governance for Ecosystem Services and Poverty Alleviation) Project, University of Birmingham and Director of Policy and Practice at SEED Solutions & Evidence for Environment & Development

Based on the results of over a decade of research in Amazonia, ranging from forest policy analysis to studies of smallholder livelihoods to an assessment of the drivers behind land/resource conflicts in the region, this seminar will address the conflicting visions of ‘development’ in the Amazon. While many powerful players push for ‘sustained’ development, other actors advocate ‘sustainable’ livelihoods. Focusing on examples from Peru and Brazil, we will explore the discord between these visions and realities on the ground for local people. We will address the multi-level policy processes and power dynamics that drive decision-making around natural resource governance in the region.

Dr Menton has worked in the Amazon since 2000, focusing on forest governance and sustainable livelihoods. She is currently a Research Fellow with the Governance for Ecosystem Services & Poverty Alleviation project at the International Development Department at the University of Birmingham. She is also a partner and co-founder of SEED (Solutions & Evidence for Environment & Development), an Oxford-based consulting partnership.