Sustainable Forest Management and Carbon Stocks

Posted on 2011/12/11 by reddforest

Paper presented at the COP17 in Durban, South Africa

Abstract: Sustainable forest management (SFM) ensures the continuous flow of wood products and employment while improving the functionalities of forests. Until recently, many projects associated with the Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) projects focused only on reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation, conservation of carbon stocks, or enhancement of carbon sinks. REDD+ projects concerned with securing timber production while reducing emissions are very few in number. In this report, we discuss how SFM through adoption of appropriate logging practice can lead to a reduction in carbon emissions while securing timber in the tropics. Logging practices affect timber production, the structure of forests, and forest-dependent communities because of damages caused by logging itself and the large amounts of logging and wood wastes. By switching from conventional logging to reduced-impact logging practices, International Tropical Timber Organization producer countries could reduce carbon emissions by about 1.2 billion tCO2 year–1 while still producing about 100.4 million m3 of end-use wood for commercial consumption under a 50-year project cycle, results being dependent on the chosen scenario. Study results suggest that a policy of reduced-impact logging combined with a longer cutting cycle and certification scheme is appropriate for SFM projects as a part of the REDD+ scheme.

Download COP17 presentation here!

Just Accepted “Approaches to Classifying and Restoring Degraded Tropical Forests for the Anticipated REDD+ Climate Change Mitigation Mechanism”

Posted on 2010/11/20 by reddforest

Author: Sasaki, N., et al. (2010)

Inclusion of improved forest management as a way to enhance carbon sinks in the Copenhagen Accord of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (December 2009) suggests that forest restoration will play a role in global climate change mitigation under the post-Kyoto agreement. Although discussions about restoration strategies often pertain solely to severely degraded tropical forests and invoke only the enrichment planting option, different approaches to restoration are needed to counter the full range of degrees of degradation. We propose approaches for restoration of forests that range from being slightly to severely degraded. Our methods start with ceasing the causes of degradation and letting forests regenerate on their own, progress through active management of natural regeneration in degraded areas to accelerate tree regeneration and growth, and finally include the stage of degradation at which re-planting is necessary. We argue that when the appropriate techniques are employed, forest restoration is cost-effective relative to conventional planting, provides abundant social and ecological co-benefits, and results in the sequestration of substantial amounts of carbon. For forest restoration efforts to succeed, a supportive post-Kyoto agreement is needed as well as appropriate national policies, institutional arrangements, and local participation.

Full paper can be downloaded here (pre-print).

Can Sustainable Forest Management have many co-benefits in Tropics?

Posted on 2010/11/20 by reddforest

The above question is answered in the newly published article below.

Co-Benefits of Sustainable Forest Management in Biodiversity Conservation and Carbon Sequestration
Imai N et al. (2009) PLoS ONE 4(12): e8267. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0008267

Abstract
Background: Sustainable forest management (SFM), which has been recently introduced to tropical natural production forests, is beneficial in maintaining timber resources, but information about the co-benefits for biodiversity conservation and carbon sequestration is currently lacking.
Methodology/Principal Findings: We estimated the diversity of medium to large-bodied forest-dwelling vertebrates using a heat-sensor camera trapping system and the amount of above-ground, fine-roots, and soil organic carbon by a
combination of ground surveys and aerial-imagery interpretations. This research was undertaken both in SFM applied as well as conventionally logged production forests in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo. Our carbon estimation revealed that the application of SFM resulted in a net gain of 54 Mg C ha-1 on a landscape scale. Overall vertebrate diversity was greater in the SFM applied forest than in the conventionally logged forest. Specifically, several vertebrate species (6 out of recorded 36 species) showed higher frequency in the SFM applied forest than in the conventionally logged forest.
Conclusions/Significance: The application of SFM to degraded natural production forests could result in greater diversity and abundance of vertebrate species as well as increasing carbon storage in the tropical rain forest ecosystems.

Click here to download full paper free of charge!

Pathways for Implementing REDD+: Experiences from Carbon Markets and Communities

Posted on 2010/11/19 by reddforest

The UNEP Risø Centre is pleased to announce the 2010 issue of its Carbon Market Perspectives: Pathways for Implementing REDD+: Experiences from Carbon Markets and Communities.

This year, the publication reflects the current experiences about implementing REDD+ activities at project and community levels and goes beyond opportunities afforded by the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) by including voluntary markets. The articles presented discuss and propose ideas about how to create incentives to participate in REDD+, its implementation, and possible financing; how to involve the private sector; what are the experiences from the carbon markets, and present ideas on how to engage communities in REDD+. The authors have been carefully selected to reflect a mix of different perspectives from the private sector, country negotiation teams, research institutions, and carbon market organizations. They share their insights and ideas on various important aspects and issues for the debates on a global REDD+ mechanism in the ongoing climate negotiations.

The Carbon Markets Perspectives 2010, is produced with financial assistance by the European Commission, through its joint UNEP/EU Program for Capacity Building related to Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) in African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Countries, of which the CDM forms part.

The 2010 Carbon Market Perspectives, is available for downloading:

http://www.acp-cd4cdm.org/publications.aspx

http://cd4cdm.org/;

http://uneprisoe.org/

Previous years Carbon Market Perspectives is also available for download at:

http://cd4cdm.org/PerspectiveSeries.htm

2009 Forest Voluntary Carbon Markets: New Report

Posted on 2010/10/30 by reddforest

Ecosystem Marketplace and Forest Trends have just released the “State of the Forest Carbon Markets 2009: Taking Root and Branching Out” report. The report provides comprehensive developments on carbon emission reductions in forestry sector and the traded valumes of carbon credits at the voluntary carbon market.

Abstract of this report is given below.

This report was created to increase transparency and answer fundamental questions about the supply of forestry-based carbon credits, such as transaction volumes, credit prices, hectares influenced and tenure rights. It outlines the aggregate numbers from our survey of 61 project developers1 and 34 intermediaries representing 226 projects across 40 countries. This report is entirely based on information volunteered by these project developers and intermediaries. Hence, numbers presented are not completely exhaustive, and should be considered conservative.

Ecosystem Marketplace tracked projects generating credits over the past 20 years in both the voluntary and compliance markets. The voluntary category includes the Over the Counter (OTC) and Chicago Climate Exchange (CCX) markets. The compliance category includes the New South Wales Greenhouse Gas Reduction Scheme (NSW GGAS), as well as the Kyoto Protocol-driven Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), Joint Implementation (JI), New Zealand Emissions Trading Scheme (NZ ETS) and Kyoto Assigned Amount Units (AAUs). Because we are comparing transactions across markets and standards, it is important to note that assets transacted vary considerably. For example, a temporary Certified Emissions Reduction (tCER) under the CDM may be a different asset than a Voluntary Carbon Unit (VCU) under the Voluntary Carbon Standard. However, these assets are generally referred to as carbon dioxide tonnes (tCO2).

Full report (88 pages) can be downloaded here at:
http://147.202.71.177/~foresttr/documents/index.php?pubID=2384

Khmer Monks Rewarded for Protecting Forests

Posted on 2010/10/04 by reddforest

Pact is proud to announce that its partner organization, the Monks Community Forestry (MCF), a group of Buddhist monks in northwest Cambodia, has won the prestigious United Nations sponsored Equator Prize celebrating outstanding community efforts to conserve biodiversity and reduce poverty. MCF and Venerable Bun Saluth have also received special recognition from a jury of leading conservation and development professionals. Among this year’s 25 Equator Prize winners, only four other communities have received this special recognition.

Since 2001, the monks of the Samraong Pagoda, located in Oddar Meanchey Province near Cambodia’s border with Thailand, have been protecting 18,261 hectares of forest from illegal clearing and incursion. It is now one of Cambodia’s largest and best protected community forests (MCF).

Pact and the Cambodian Forestry Administration have provided support to help the MCF establish community forestry legal status in Cambodia. Pact is now working with the MCF, the Cambodian Government, and with 12 other community forests in the area, on one of Cambodia’s first climate change mitigation and carbon offset projects. The project will earn carbon credits from the voluntary market to support forest protection efforts and contribute to improving local livelihoods. According to Pact’s Program Director, Amanda Bradley, “The MCF has collaborated effectively with local communities to turn an area of uncontrolled logging into an excellent example of best practice in conservation. We’re very excited about the potential of the carbon markets to reinforce and support these local efforts.”

Appalled at the ongoing destruction of his country’s forests, MCF’s Venerable Bun Saluth initiated protection of this area in 2001. With few resources, he and the monks of his pagoda have proven themselves to be powerful conservationists: they have demarcated forest boundaries, raised environmental awareness among local communities, developed co-management committees with local villagers, linked with government authorities and NGOs, and significantly reduced forest crime in the MCF through the development of unique approaches to law enforcement based on Buddhist principles.

The example of the MCF has demonstrated that Buddhist monks can be important allies for the conservation community: they have proven effective at deterring forest crime and can be powerful messengers for environmental protection. Their impressive achievements sprang from the monks’ belief that by protecting the MCF they are following the Buddha’s example and the principles he set out in his teachings to eliminate the suffering of all beings and to live ethically.

This small forest community in northwest Cambodia is now linked with 128 other Equator Prize winners from around the world who have been chosen as representatives of best practices in grassroots movements that combine biodiversity conservation and poverty reduction. Venerable Bun Saluth joins 25 of this year’s winners to receive the prize and US$5,000 in an award ceremony in New York on September 20th.

For further information visit our web site:

http://pactworld.org/cs/redd

REDD Money for Forested Countries

Posted on 2010/10/01 by reddforest

Forest deals push forward as climate talks lag
22 Sep 2010 21:10:00 GMT
Written by: Laurie Goering

With progress towards a U.N. climate deal lagging, financial institutions, donors and tropical forest countries are moving rapidly to set up their own systems to pay forest nations to preserve their trees as a means of curbing carbon emissions. Norway has approached the World Bank to act as an intermediary in a deal that would transfer $250 million to Guyana over six or seven years in exchange for stepped up protection of that South American nation’s stands of forest.

The Scandinavian country was also scheduled Wednesday to sign a final binding agreement to provide Indonesia with $1 billion in exchange for boosting its forest protection, though the partners were struggling to agree on a bank to manage the effort.

Adaptation Fund is Ready for Developing Countries

Posted on 2010/10/01 by reddforest

Direct access to the Adaptation Fund moving forward
17 Sep 2010 12:40:00 GMT

2010 may become a historic year in international finance policy, and the Adaptation Fund set up under the Kyoto Protocol may be the most important milestone. For the first time in the history of climate policy, developing countries can access an international fund directly. What is so new about it?

Usually, developing countries have to submit projects through so-called Multilateral Implementing Entities to obtain resources from an international fund. The role of these entities, which for example are the country offices of the U.N. Development Program (UNDP), U.N. Environmental Program (UNEP) or the World Bank, is to oversee project implementation, in particular with regard to financial terms and fiduciary aspects.

However, many developing countries have complaints over significant delays in implementation and higher costs because of this process. While the decision to allow direct access in the Adaptation Fund was taken at the U.N. climate conference in Bali in 2007, it has taken some time to develop the approach and the rules. But with the accreditation of the first National Implementing Entity, the Centre de Suivi Ecologique (CSE) from Senegal in March this year, direct access has become a reality under the U.N. Adaptation Fund.

In practice this means that the functions performed by the multilaterals are now performed by domestic institutions, which, of course, have to ensure they meet international fiduciary standards to be accredited by the Adaptation Fund Board.

THREE AGENCIES APPROVED

At its recent meeting, held in September 2010, the Adaptation Fund Board approved two other National Implementing Entities (NIEs), the Planning Institute of Jamaica and Uruguay’s Agencia Nacional de Investigacion Innovacion. The count now stands at three, including the Senegalese Centre de Suivi Ecologique (CSE).

However, more than 30 developing countries have expressed interest in going the road of direct access, and the number of accredited NIEs may increase by the end of the year.

Interestingly, this provides a key opportunity for South-South cooperation. Governments interested in gaining direct access to funds can exchange information with the already accredited NIE organizations and learn from them how to complete the accreditation procedure.

This development opens up a new avenue for developing countries to obtain funding for adaptation to climate change, widely seen as an entitlement since most of the most vulnerable countries have contributed almost nothing to creating the problem.

If countries chose to seek funding through direct access, however, they must also be aware of their new responsibilities. The performance of the National Implementing Entities and how successfully direct access works will be keenly watched. Observers will include finance ministries, to see if they can trust domestic institutions to use money appropriately. Climate change negotiators, who want to build future direct access approaches on this experience, will also keep an eye on the effort. And finally many NGOs in the North and South will be watching both because they have supported the development of the Adaptation Fund as a new step in developing country ownership, but also because they will demand that NIEs pay special attention to the most vulnerable communities and hold appropriate, inclusive stakeholder consultations.

Thus, the story of direct access has just begun, and the future will show if it becomes a success story. However, one should not forget than none of the usual implementing entities, such as World Bank, UNDP or bilateral agencies, have a track record of 100 percent successful projects.

Problems that arise in the work of NIEs should be addressed with a view to improving their work, rather than using the failings as an argument against direct access.

By Sven Harmeling is a senior advisor on climate and development with Germanwatch, a German development and environment NGO that has closely followed U.N. climate negotiations for 15 years. He focuses on adaptation to climate change under the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change, including the process towards a new global climate deal and the development of the Adaptation Fund. For more information on the Adaptation Fund: http://www.germanwatch.org/klima/af.htm Harmeling can be reached at: harmeling@germanwatch.org

Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Substituting the Use of Woody Biomass from Thinned Wood for Bioenergy Generation in Japan

Posted on 2010/07/03 by reddforest

(Paper under reviews: Etoh & Sasaki 2010)

Abstract

Under the Marrakesh Accord of the Kyoto Protocol, Japan is allowed to use forest carbon sinks as reduction option for meeting its greenhouse gas reduction commitment. Due to inactive management coupled with slow forest growth, intensive thinning is being implemented to accelerate the growth so that carbon sinks could reach the capped amount of 47.7 TgCO2 year-1. Beginning in 2007, special budgets were allocated for a 6-year intensive thinning on about 3.3 million ha of young stands. However, because a large proportion of thinned wood and wood waste are not utilized, we argue that thinning alone is not a viable option for reducing carbon emissions as unused thinned wood and wood waste gradually emit methane. We assessed carbon emission reduction potentials when woody biomass from thinned wood is fully utilized for bioenergy generation as compared with the generation of the same amount of energy produced under coal, oil, and natural gas scenarios. Our analytical results show that if all thinned wood and wood waste are utilized to generate energy, about 78.7, 74.9, and 56.12 TgCO2 year-1 could be prevented from emitting depending on emission scenarios or about 39.9, 37.9, and 27.9% of Japan’s reduction commitment to the Kyoto Protocol. On the other hand, if thinned wood and wood waste are not utilized, about 21.6 TgCO2 year-1 would be released due to thinning. Our results suggest that Japan should implement thinning to increase carbon sinks in the forests only if appropriate policies to promote the utilization of woody biomass from such thinning are introduced.

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