There is a strong relationship between the Paris Talk and the preservation of wetland in Oregon. This is evident by the great war which has emanated between the climate change regime and the ranchers of Oregon. This conflict started when a game reserve was established in Malheur. The Malheur National Wildlife Refuge was established in Oregon, United States (Killeen). This prompted a war between the federal enforcement officers and the ranchers. The ranchers wanted their land so that they could continue rearing their livestock in an open field. On the other hand, the regulators had to grab the land so that they can allocate it for the protection of threatened biodiversity. This conflict has resulted to several arrests and destruction of federal properties.
The war begun in earnest in 2012 when the two ranchers, Dwight Hammond and his brother Steven Hammond were convicted for setting fire on the federal land in Malheur National Wildlife Refuge (Killeen). This was a sigh of rebellion among the ranchers in the region. They were not happy with the restriction they have been given to the land. All they wanted was a diverse land where they could rear their livestock freely. The two Hammonds were sentenced to 5 years’ imprisonment. As a result, the Oregon community formed lobbying groups to fight for the rights of the convicted comrades. Therefore, the war started. A war between the federal enforcement officers and the supporters of the Hammond brothers. By 2016, the war had developed to state of armed invasions. The supporters, armed, invaded the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge and started settling in the region. The similar dispute was evidenced in a war between the federal enforcers and the Nivadan Ranchers. They demanded for their land and provided a list of grievances which they wanted the government to address.
These grievances are not things which started recently. In the 19th century, ranchers in Harney county demonstrated and rebelled against the government regulations (Killeen). For a long time, these ranchers have been rearing their livestock in an open field. The livestock could move from place to place in search of pasture without any restriction. Then came the federal regulations. The ranches were fenced using barbed wire and the and the movement of the livestock were restricted. As a result, sporadic conflicts started to immerge. They wanted their freedom back they wanted to continue rearing their animals in an open field. The conflict even grew further when president Teddy Roosevelt ordered for the construction of a wildlife reserve in the area (Killeen). This is the very conflict which has been growing up to date. Over the last few years, this conflict has even become more intensified. This may be as a result of the new fencing technology, which involves the use of electric fence. However, it may not only be as a result of fencing. Climatic change has brought with it even a more unbearable conditions among the ranchers.
The adverse climatic change has led to the encroachment of the semi-arid regions which were commonly used for ranching. As a result, there has been a drastic reduction in pasture. On the other hand, there has been an increase in population among the ranchers. This leads to a situation where the ranchers have to compete for the limited pasture. On the other hand, the quality of the forage has reduced due to the prolonged droughts. As a result, there is a need for more land to provide the animals with adequate forage. The problem is that the land is not available. With the decrease in the quality and the quantity of the forage, the productivity of the livestock has reduced significantly, thereby reducing the profit margin of the livestock production. Some ranchers are forced to buy out forage which is quite expensive. Some are forced to sell out their livestock.
Even before the Paris talk GCF had approved $168 million for the climate change projects. Some of the projects which are to be financed by GCF include those projects which improve productivity and ensure that the wetlands are used in a sustainable manner (Killeen). With these large allocation of money on the climate change issues, we may change our perception of the relationship between conflicts and scare resource. However, it is imperative that the complex motivation towards these endless conflicts should never be ignored. By so doing, we will be able to prevent political polarization. It will also draw our attention from the reality that climate change has greatly affected the lives of those people living in the rural areas.
Works Sited
Killeen, Philip. "Polarized Politics or Climate Conflict? Why Branding Matters for the Malheur Occupation, Post-Paris." Climate & Energy, Environment & Society. N.p., 26 Jan. 2016. Web. 8 May 2016.
