Tag Archives: REDD

Research Fellow for REDD+ and land use

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Oversea Development Institute or ODI’s work on climate change is split into four cross-institute teams that draw on dedicated communications, project management and business development support. The themes are: Adaptation and resilience; Climate finance; Land use, including forests, fuel and food; and Low carbon growth and energy. We are offering an exciting opportunity for an experienced individual to join our Land use team as an ODI Research Fellow.
The post-holder will be part of the Climate Change, Environment and Forests (CCEF) programme, which forms the hub of ODI’s cross-institute work on climate change.
Recent highlights of ODI’s work on climate change includes:

1. Leadership of the research and knowledge management components of the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (www.cdkn.org)

2. Significant international profile for our work on climate finance, both internationally and at the national level, including the Climate Funds Update website (www.climatefundsupdate.org)

3. Hosting of the REDD-Net research and networking project, to enhance the social co-benefits of REDD+ (www.redd-net.org).

About the job:
Responsibilities of the role include:

research and policy advisory work: conducting high-quality, innovative research
fundraising: attracting funds through bids and marketing, including the development of a substantial personal research portfolio
public affairs: disseminating and promoting ODI’s work and ideas on climate change.

We are looking to recruit a climate change, land use and forests specialist to contribute to the growth of ODI’s work on REDD+ and land use. The successful candidate will have:

extensive knowledge of key issues and organisations in international development and forests, land use and/or agriculture
experience of policy-orientated research, demonstrated by a track record of publications and reports
proven ability to translate research ideas into fundable projects
strong analytical skills, a capacity to write clearly and excellent organisational and oral communication skills.

Salary: Research Fellow 1: £36,883 – £45,336 pa or Research Fellow 2: £46,695 – £57,430 pa
Position in: Climate Change, Environment and Forests
Closing date: 16 October 2011

Apply here

Guide on REDD-plus and Biodiversity

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The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) Secretariat has launched a new guide on REDD-plus and Biodiversity: volume no. 59 in the CBD Technical Series aims to inform CBD National Focal Points and other biodiversity experts how to support REDD-plus design and implementation efforts.

The document is available for download at www.cbd.int/ts

REDD+ Training in Cambodia

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Training Course on Forestry Research and REDD+ Development
(20-24 December 2010)

Accounting for up to 25% of the global carbon emissions of 8 billion ton, tropical deforestation has become the hottest topic in the current climate change negotiations leading to a new climate change agreement to replace the Kyoto agreement. Since 2007 when Bali Action Plan was adopted at the 13th Conference of the Parties (COP13) to the United Nations Convention on Climate Change, the world communities have met several times every to discuss, among many other things the possibility for compensating developing countries for reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD), forest conservation, and enhancement of carbon sinks (REDD+). REDD+ whose agreement is scheduled to reach at the COP15 in December 2009 is worth up to $30 billion annually. REDD+ is a win-win and cost-effective solutions to climate change mitigation, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable development in developing countries if its projects are implemented according to well-designed plans and policies.

Like many other countries in the region, REDD+ concept is new to Cambodia. Capacity building is therefore urgently required so that Cambodia can maximize the benefits from the REDD+ agreement for forest protection and sustainable development. University educators, NGOs and policy makers will likely to play a major role in analyzing and identifying the most appropriate REDD+ projects through sustained research, academic supervision, NGOs and policy intervention.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this training course is designed to provide clear understanding about the most recent climate change policy developments, and to enhance knowledge about REDD+, and research design in REDD+.

THE COURSE COVER:

- Scientific research design

- Writing scientific/journal paper

- Fieldwork design and equipment testing

- Tree measurement

- Fieldwork to Chomka Prey Sne in Kampong Chhnang province

- Roles of forests in climate change

- Drivers of deforestation and forest degradation

- REDD+ basics and international policy context

- Technical elements of REDD+ and exercise

- REDD+ project in Oddar Meanchey province

- Carbon market

METHODOLOGY: Methodology includes class room lectures with audio visuals, interactive sessions through group discussions, case studies, fieldwork etc. Emphasis would be laid on sharing of experiences of participants. Active participation is solicited from participants.

WHO SHOULD PARTICIPATING:

- Any Government & Non-Governmental Organization

- Consultants & interested individuals

- Academic staffs

- Students

- Researcher and etc.

BENEFITS FROM PARTICIPATING:

The training course will provide the basic level of climate change science and policy related to climate change and forestry. It begins with background information on climate change and drivers of deforestation, then covers the essential aspects of the technical, political, financial, social and environmental issues related to REDD+, and finalizes with a basics on implementing REDD+ activities by estimating the volume and carbon stock in forestry and developing the scientific research related to forestry.

DATES: 20-24 December 2010 (four and haft days)

VENUE: Royal University of Phnom Penh (RUPP)

LECTURER: The lecturer is Dr. Nophea Sasaki, Associate Professor in Natural Environmental Information, University of Hyogo, Japan and other long-term experience professional professors. Training will be conducted in Khmer and English.

COURSE FEE: Registration fee is US$ 100. The training will cover session handouts, 2 time refreshments per day, daily lunch during the course, and certificate distribution at the end of the course.

DEADLINE: 17 December 2010.

REGISTRATION PROCEDURE: Maximum capacity of the participants for the training course is 30.

To avoid disappointment, please register your nomination by contact below:

Seak Sophat
Department of Environmental Science
Royal University of Phnom Penh
E-mail: seak.sophat@rupp.edu.kh.
Tel: 855 16 506 888/ 97 9396 368

REDD+ Project-Level Guidebook 2010

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ONF International has just released a REDD+ Project-Level Guidebook “REDD+ at project scale: Evaluation and Development Guide”. It aims at supporting project promoters in developing REDD+ projects, and investors or funding agencies in their assessments of these projects. It offers insights into existing tools and key questions. On the basis of initial feedbacks from existing REDD+ projects and other more long-standing projects for natural resources management, the guide also deals with crucial aspects particularly the definition of project activities, legal and organisational issues and economic and financial assessments.

The following are the different parts of the guide-book:

* What is meant by REDD+ at project scale ?
* Determining the profile and strategy of a REDD+ project,
* Ownership of REDD+ carbon credits and how this can affect the project’s organizational structure,
* Specific methodologies for REDD+ projects,
* Assessment and certification of the social and environmental impacts of REDD+ projects,
* Financial and economic assessment of REDD+ projects

Download full REDD+ guidebook from the ONF International here for free.

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

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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?

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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

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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

REDD Glossary compiled by PACT

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This glossary is a comprehensive reference guide to encourage greater understanding of REDD terminology. The glossary contains terms related to verification, validation, carbon finance, voluntary market standards, and other REDD topics.

Download it from PACT’s website here A PDF version
For online version, visit PACT

Post Doctoral Fellow: Global Comparative Study on REDD

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Vacancy Announcement

Post Doctoral Fellow,
Global Comparative Study on REDD
Effectiveness of REDD Project Sites
Programme: Forests & Governance and
Environmental Services & Sustainable Use of Forests

Research Domain: Forests and Climate Change Mitigation

The Center for International Forestry Research advances human wellbeing, environmental conservation and equity by conducting research to inform policies and practices that affect forests in developing countries. We are one of 15 centres within the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR). Our headquarters are in Bogor, Indonesia, and we have offices in Asia, Africa and South America.

CIFOR is looking for a Post Doctoral Fellow, GCS-REDD

The Post Doctoral Fellow will be responsible for measuring the effectiveness of REDD project sites in reducing emissions of carbon. The post is a joint appointment with Component 2 (REDD project sites) and Component 3 (monitoring and reference levels) in the GCS-REDD. The work will be largely based on field measurements at 20 project sites in Brazil, Cameroon, Tanzania, Indonesia and Vietnam. The Fellow will work with local partners to undertake these measurements. Comparisons will be made before and after implementation of REDD incentives, and between intervention and control sites.

The Fellow will report to the Leaders of Component 2 (REDD project sites) and Component 3 (monitoring and reference levels) in the GCS-REDD project.

Minimum Qualifications:
• Doctorate in forestry, ecology, natural resource management or a related field
• Excellent researcher with strong background in GIS/remote sensing of forest cover charge and analysis of the underlying causes of land cover change

• Experience in the analysis of forest carbon flux is preferred

• Experience in Monitoring, Reporting and Verification Systems (MRV) is preferred

• Fluency in English is required. Fluency in other languages used in countries where CIFOR works will be appreciated.

To learn more about CIFOR, the position and how to apply, please visit our web site at

http://www.cifor.cgiar.org/Careers

CIFOR is an equal opportunity employer. Staff diversity contributes to excellence.

Cambodia received $3.0 millions from UN-REDD

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US$15.2 million approved for 5 countries at the UN-REDD Policy Board Meeting

Cambodia, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, the Philippines and Solomon Islands receive critical funding to support their national REDD+ efforts; Denmark announces US$6 million in additional funding for the UN-REDD Programme and Spain confirms US$1.4 million for 2010.

WASHINGTON, D.C., 5 November, 2010— During its fifth Policy Board meeting in Washington, D.C. from 4-5 November 2010, the UN-REDD Programme approved US$15.2 million in funding for national programmes in Cambodia, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, the Philippines and Solomon Islands, bringing the total amount of funding for UN-REDD National Programmes to US$57.8 million.

The Policy Board approved US$3 million for Cambodia, US$6.4 million for Papua New Guinea and US$4.7 million for Paraguay. These three countries presented full national programmes that lay out REDD+ readiness plans including setting up MRV, monitoring and governance systems, stakeholder engagement and safeguarding the multiple benefits of forests. Initial national programmes in the Philippines and Solomon Islands were allocated US$500,000 and US$550,000 respectively.

These critical funds support the capacity of national governments to prepare and implement national REDD+ strategies with the active involvement of all stakeholders, including Indigenous Peoples and other forest-dependent communities, with the ultimate goal of protecting, better managing and wisely using their forest resources, contributing to the global fight against climate change. With these new funding allocations, the UN-REDD Programme is now providing direct support to 12 countries while also working with 17 other partner countries across Africa, Asia-Pacific and Latin America (see list below).