REDD: Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation

Michael Køie Poulsen mkp@nordeco.dk

A presentation for session on REDD at the DFC climate change journalism course August 2010

The road to REDD+1968 – UN propose UNCHE 1972 - UN Conference on the Human

Environment (UNCHE), Stockholm – raise the climate change issue

1983 - World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED) established

1987 – Brundtland Report ”Our Common Future”1988 - Intergovernmental Panel on Climate

Change (IPCC) 1992 - UN Conference on Environment and

Development - Rio Declaration + UNFCCC

UNFCCC

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Also referred to informally as the UN climate change convention. It is the international agreement for action on climate change and was drawn up in 1992. A framework was agreed for action aimed at stabilizing atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases. The UNFCCC currently has 192 signatory parties.

Selected UNFCCC COPsKyoto 1987 COP3Bali 2007 COP13Copenhagen 2009 COP15Mexico 2010 CEP16South Africa 2011 COP17

The map illustrates just how much warmer temperatures were in the decade (2000-2009) compared to average temperatures recorded between 1951 and 1980

2009 Ends Warmest Decade on Record

Carbon sinksHuman activities are contributing to climate

change (IPCC assessment of scientific evidence)Carbon emissions lead to global warming and

climate changeThe most important sources of carbon emissions

are industry and transport (burning of fossil fuels) and deforestation

Carbon sinks are vital to fighting global warming

Forests and oceans can absorb carbon and act as sinks

The Kyoto Protocol

The Kyoto Protocol was struck in 1997 in Kyoto by member nations of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) .

This agreement commits developed nations to cut their greenhouse gas emissions to 5.2 per cent of 1990 levels over the period 2008-2012.

By 2007, 175 countries had ratified. United States has never ratified the treaty.

Allowances for carbon emissions were allocated to developed countries under the Kyoto Protocol.

The three flexible mechanismsTo allow the developed countries to comply

with their obligations under the Kyoto Protocol in the most efficient manner, three flexible mechanisms were developed:

1.The Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), 2.Joint Implementation (JI) and 3.Emissions Trading.

CDM

Clean Development Mechanism. Projects set up in developing countries to reduce

greenhouse gas emissions generate tradable credits, the first step towards a global carbon market.

Industrialised nations can use these credits to offset carbon emissions at home and meet their Kyoto reduction targets.

The projects include renewable energy generation, reforestation and clean fuels switching.

JI

Joint Implementation A Kyoto Protocol mechanism which allows

developed countries, particularly those in transition to a market economy, to host carbon-reducing projects funded by another developed country.

Additionality

to generate carbon credits under the Kyoto Protocol's CDM and JI programmes, as well as other carbon offset schemes, a project must result in emission reductions which were not going to happen anyway. They are additional to what would have occurred without the carbon credit incentive.

Emissions trading

The quantity of emissions is controlled by the issuing of emission permits. These rights to emit can be traded in a commercial market under an emissions trading scheme and the price is allowed to vary.

Hot air”Hot Air” is non-existent emission reductions

produced in the Kyoto Protocol due to the surplus of allowances that some countries have.

For example, Russia has a surplus of allowances due to its economic collapse following the end of the Soviet Union. Other countries could buy these allowances from Russia, but this would not reduce emissions.. In practice, Kyoto Parties have as yet chosen not to buy these surplus allowances.

Copenhagen Accord

The four-nation agreement struck by the US, China, India and South Africa at the 2009 Copenhagen climate conference and noted by the UN climate convention Council of the Parties. A limited political deal that the signatories hope will form the basis of a new global climate agreement from 2013

Forests and Combating Climate Change

Tropical forests contain about 25% of the carbon in the terrestrial biosphere.

CO emissions from deforestation and degradation of tropical forests accounts for 15-20% carbon emissions

Forests - Low cost reduction of emission

The devil is in the details. And there are an awful lot of details in REDD.

Causes of deforestationMultiple and complex – vary from country to

countryPoverty and population pressure – need for

farmlandNow also large-scale agriculture driven by

consumer demand

Africa : small-scale subsistence farmingSouth America: large-scale farming enterprisesSouth East Asia: between the above (incl. palm oil,

coffee and timber)

What is REDD?REDD – Reduced Emissions from Deforestation

and (Forest) Degradation (in Developing Countries)

REDD is payment in return for the active preservation of existing forests.

The basic idea behind REDD is simple: Developing countries that are willing and able to reduce emissions from deforestation should be financially compensated for doing so.

Avoided emissions = difference between scenario (baseline) and actual, recorded emissions

Forests - Not only for the climate…Forest resources directly support the

livelihoods of 90% of all people living in extreme poverty (90% of 1.2 billion people)

Forests are home to 90% of the world’s terrestrial biodiversity

Forests also provide other essential ecosystem services (watershed protection, water flow regulation, nutrient recycling, rainfall generation, disease regulation)

REDD+The “Bali Action Plan” calls for: “Policy approaches and positive incentives on

issues relating to Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation in developing countries; + the role of conservation, sustainable management of forests and enhancement of forest carbon stocks in developing countries”.

REDD+ has added more details - and added more devils hiding:

“conservation” sounds good, but the history of the establishment of national parks includes large scale evictions and loss of rights for Indigenous Peoples and local communities;

“sustainable management of forests” would include subsidies to commercial logging operations in old-growth forests, indigenous peoples territory or in villagers community forests;

“enhancement of forest carbon stocks” could result in conversion of land (including forests) to industrial tree plantations, with serious implications for biodiversity, forests and local communities.

Preparing for REDD+

The REDD mechanism has not been finalized and formally established!Support to Readiness Preparation may be obtained through FCPF and/or UN-REDD.Pilots will follow Readiness Preparations before an Incentive system can be implemented

Three phases of REDD+

Forest Carbon Partnership Facility - FCPF

UN-REDD Pilot Countries

MRV

Monitoring, Reporting & Verification. Before emissions reduction or carbon sequestration activity can deliver credible market credits, activities generating them must be accurately measured, reported transparently, and verified by third parties.

In practice, most REDD schemes will need to involve both remote sensing, professional foresters and local people in data collection.

Experience for local natural resource management has shown that involvement of local people in performance monitoring can provide accurate, cost-effective and locally anchored information on biomass and natural resource trends

Kyoto: Think Global, Act Local A 2003-2009 project investigating the possibilities and

potential for Community Based Forest Management of existing natural forest to be included as an eligible carbon mitigation activity under REDD.

A Field Guide for Assessing and Monitoring ReducedForest Degradation and Carbon Sequestration by Local Communities (Verplanke,

and Zahabu 2009).

http://www.communitycarbonforestry.org/

Locally based monitoring may serve to ground-truth data from remote sensing, reduce uncertainty and add governance aspects. See leaflet:

Forest Cover

Time

PNGBrazilBoliviaIndonesiaCameroon India

ChinaCosta Rica

Source: Adapted from Cortez y Rudell (2008)

RDCGhanaSurinam

Avoid leakage

Reduce deforestation

Continue conservation

Promote forestation and reforestation

REDD?

The 3 approaches to REDD accounting and crediting

See http://www.cifor.cgiar.org/publications/pdf_files/Books/BAngelsen0801.pdf

Leakage

Carbon leakage occurs when laws or activities designed to cut greenhouse gas emissions implemented in one area or project area lead to the shifting of the emitting activities elsewhere, thus undermining the attempt to reduce emissions.

Risk and opportunities – Indigenous Peoples

Risks

Will investments and payments weaken customary rights and access to land and natural resources

Can Indigenous people and other forest dwellers participate?

Who owns the carbon?

Who will be paid?

Will investments affect livelihood and cultures?

What is the economic future of small and medium sized enterprises and local markets?

Opportunities

New sources of revenue

Clarification of rights

Share and apply local knowledge and practices

Recognition of the contributions of forest people to climate regulation

Enhanced participation in political processes

Risk and opportunities – Biodiversity and Environment

Risks

Conversion of forests to plantations

Enrichment planting with exotic species

Increases pressure on existing agricultural land

Leakage

Opportunities

New sources of funding for forest conservation

Increased focus on deforestation

Potential for including biodiversity issues

LULUCFLand use, land use change and forestry. The term given to the sector covering reforestation & afforestation, land clearing and agriculture. Each of these activities can make significant contributions to atmospheric carbon emissions and/or removals.

REDD – Sources of informationwww.un-redd.org The UN- REDD website. Newsletter

subscription available. www.forestcarbonpartnership.org The Forest Carbon

Partnership Facility website www.redd-monitor.org REDD Monitor is a website for

REDD sceptical individuals and organisations. Newsletter subscription available.

http://unfccc.int/methods_science/redd/items/4531.php UNFCCC - REDD information sharing web platform

www.redd-oar.org Meridian Institute / Gov. of Norway REDD.

http://thereddsite.wordpress.com focus on the development of REDD and its implications for indigenous peoples.

http://chrislang.org Undiplomatic blog covering REDD, certification, etc