Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) in Developing Countries

Transcription

1 POSITION PAPER Reducing Emissins frm Defrestatin and Frest Degradatin (REDD) in Develping Cuntries Tenth Sessin f the Ad Hc Wrking Grup n Lng-term C-perative Actin t the Cnventin 31st May 11th June, 2010, Bnn, Germany Summary f Recmmendatins Objective IUCN urges Parties t reach an agreement n a REDD-plus mechanism that recgnizes that aviding greenhuse gas emissins frm defrestatin and frest degradatin is a necessary cmpnent f achieving deep cuts in all surces f anthrpgenic emissins in rder t mitigate climate change. Scpe IUCN urges Parties t ensure that the full scpe f REDD-plus is respected and supprted in the establishment f the mechanism, including thrugh the prvisin f financial resurces and investment. Safeguards in Natinal Strategies and MRV IUCN welcmes the safeguards that have been agreed in previus sessins f the AWG-LCA and that are nw included in the Text t facilitate negtiatins amng the Parties. All f the safeguards listed in paragraph 2 are critical t retain. IUCN urges Parties t put in place the building blcks t peratinalize the safeguards, including by: Ensuring that the scial, envirnmental and gvernance safeguards referred t in paragraph 2 f the Text t facilitate negtiatin amng the Parties are incrprated in natinal strategies and actin plans and built int REDD-plus actins at the natinal and lcal level. Ensuring that applicatin f the safeguards referred t in paragraph 2 f the Text is included in the systems t be develped by Develping Cuntry Parties fr the measuring, reprting and verifying f REDDplus activities, as cnsidered in paragraph 5 (c) f the Text. Fr mre infrmatin, please cntact : Stewart Maginnis Directr Envirnment and Develpment Grup IUCN Headquarters Tel: +41 (22) stewart.maginnis@iucn.rg Carle Saint-Laurent Senir Frest Plicy Advisr IUCN 70 Mayfield Ave Trnt Ontari M6S 1K6 Canada Tel:+1(416) carsaintl@bellnet.ca IUCN Wrld Headquarters Rue Mauverney Gland Switzerland Tel: Fax: mail@iucn.rg Prvisin f Financial Resurces and Investment IUCN urges Parties t ensure that the prvisin f financial resurces and investment fr early actin shuld: INTERNATIONAL UNION FOR CONSERVATION OF NATURE

2 Respect and encurage the full scpe f REDD-plus Priritize REDD-plus actins that ptimize mitigatin benefits and prmte the applicatin f the safeguards, delivering multiple-benefits fr sustainable livelihds and bidiversity Incentivize thse peple at the apprpriate levels wh actually need t implement the necessary REDD actins Priritize REDD-plus activities that are framed within the cntext f natinal REDDplus strategies r actin plans. Supprt, cntribute t r be aligned with natinal MRV systems, including the definitin, testing and assessment f standards. Nature-based Slutins: Bidiversity fr effective Climate Change Mitigatin The REDD-plus mechanism shuld ensure that frests and the services they prvide t humankind are cnserved, managed and restred in ways that achieve climate change mitigatin targets, help secure sustainable livelihds and maintain the ability f an ecsystem t functin healthily and cntinue t prvide gds and services. Underpinning this is a necessary understanding f the relatinship between bidiversity and climate change mitigatin. Maintaining and restring bidiversity prmtes the resilience f frests t human-induced pressures and climate change impacts and helps maintain the lng-term stability f the carbn pl. As such, maintaining bidiversity shuld be viewed as an indispensable prerequisite fr reducing risks assciated with REDD-plus actins. Scpe IUCN has been encuraged t see the Parties putting the plus in the REDD negtiatins leading up t COP-15, as nw reflected in the Text t facilitate negtiatins amng Parties. The Bali Actin Plan prvides scpe fr: Reducing emissins frm defrestatin and degradatin thrugh actins that prtect existing frests frm immediate and/r medium term threats f frest cnversin and further degradatin. Cnservatin: actins t prtect existing frests, especially primary frests, including thse that face n immediate threat frm defrestatin and degradatin but culd in future be subject t land use pressures created by natinal and internatinal leakage. This is particularly pertinent t cuntries and areas with currently high frest cver and lw rates f defrestatin (HFLD). Sustainable management f frests: actins that safeguard, and as apprpriate expand, existing carbn stcks in bth cmmunity and industrial wrking frests, in particular frests subject t cmmercial lgging and shifting agriculture, against lng-term decline while ensuring the ecnmically, eclgically and scially sustainable prvisin f assciated ecsystem gds and services. These shuld be implemented as part f supprtive natinal plicy framewrks that als include cnservatin and enhancement activities in a crdinated way. Enhancement f frest carbn stcks: actins including restratin f frests as previusly prpsed by a number f delegatins. This is brader than increasing frest cver thrugh affrestatin and refrestatin. By restratin IUCN means landscapescale restratin f frest ecsystems that significantly increases and maintains carbn stcks and results in healthy resilient ecsystems, which prvide the multiple gds and services peple need, maintain bidiversity and enhance eclgical integrity. A significant number f Parties already have established experience with such appraches. There are an estimated mre than 1 billin hectares f degraded lands where frest landscape restratin pprtunities may be fund, whse restratin culd sequester apprximately 140 GtCO2e by GPFLR: A Wrld f Opprtunity. Nvember ads/gpflr_opportunity_a4_6.pdf IUCN (Internatinal Unin fr Cnservatin f Nature): Psitin Paper Page 2

3 Examples f measures thrugh which these activities can be achieved are prvided in the annex t this paper. It is critically imprtant fr the evlutin in thinking frm REDD t REDD-plus that was seen in the UNFCCC negtiatins during 2009 t be reinfrced in rder t engage a wide range f cuntries in delivering the maximum pssible reductins in emissins and increases in remvals. IUCN urges Parties t ensure that the full scpe f REDD-plus is respected and supprted in the establishment f the mechanism, including thrugh the prvisin f financial resurces and investment. (Als see belw n Enhanced Actin n the Prvisin f Financial Resurces and Investment.) Safeguards in Natinal Strategies and MRV Safeguards are necessary t strengthen the ptential cntributin f frests t climate change mitigatin. Withut basic safeguards frests culd be regarded as a high-risk ptin, ne that will be less attractive t investrs. Furthermre, the adptin and applicatin f adequate safeguards is necessary t avid unintended cnsequences frm the applicatin f defined terms and interpretatin f undefined terms, such as the cnversin f primary frests and/r natural frests t perennial wdy tree crps. IUCN welcmes the safeguards that have been agreed in previus sessins f the AWG-LCA and that are nw included in the Text t facilitate negtiatins amng the Parties. All f the safeguards listed in paragraph 2 are critical t retain. We nte that gender cnsideratins are nt currently included in the safeguards but welcme their inclusin in paragraph 7 f the Text regarding the develpment f implementatin f natinal strategies r actin plans. The next step is t put in place the building blcks t peratinalize thse safeguards. Part f this will invlve Develping Cuntry Parties addressing the safeguards in the develpment and implementatin f their strategies and actin plans, as set ut in Annex VI f the Text, paragraph 7. Als imprtant t peratinalizing the safeguards will be their inclusin in systems fr measuring, reprting and verifying emissins and remvals and ther changes resulting frm the implementatin f REDD-plus actins. In this cntext, safeguards shuld be seen as evlving alng with the phases f REDD-plus. Fr example, the mst relevant safeguards in phase 1 may nt necessarily be the mst relevant fr phase 3 and this will need t be reflected in MRV systems. Furthermre, testing and assessment f the safeguards will be as imprtant as defining them. IUCN urges Parties t ensure that the scial, envirnmental and gvernance safeguards referred t in paragraph 2 f the Text t facilitate negtiatin amng the Parties are incrprated in natinal strategies and actin plans and built int REDD-plus actins at the natinal and lcal level. IUCN calls n Parties t ensure that applicatin f the safeguards referred t in paragraph 2 f the Text is included in the systems t be develped by Develping Cuntry Parties fr the mnitring and reprting f REDD-plus activities, as cnsidered in paragraph 5 (c) f the Text. Enhanced actin n the prvisin f Financial Resurces and Investment Given the scale f the challenge, there is a need fr lng term financial flws that are guaranteed, stable and reliable, and are underpinned by strng dnr crdinatin and lng-term cmmitments frm bth develped and develping cuntries. Significant upfrnt funding will be necessary fr e.g. capacitybuilding, technlgy transfer, land-use gvernance refrm, institutinal strengthening and demnstratin activities. IUCN welcmes the call in the Text t facilitate negtiatins amng Parties (paragraph 23) fr scaled up new and additinal, predictable and adequate funding, including substantial funding t REDD-plus fr enhanced implementatin f the Cnventin with the funding t cme frm a wide variety f surces, primarily public surces but supplemented by private sectr and ther surces. IUCN (Internatinal Unin fr Cnservatin f Nature): Psitin Paper Page 3

4 IUCN further welcmes the call in the Text t establish a Cpenhagen green climate fund t supprt prjects, prgrammes, plicies and ther activities related t mitigatin, including REDD-plus (paragraph 37). With specific reference t REDD-plus, IUCN welcmes Annex VI, paragraph 1(j) that calls fr the implementatin f REDD-plus activities t be subject t equitable, adequate, predictable and sustainable funding. Annex VI, paragraph 12 deals, inter alia, with supprt fr cnsideratin f the safeguards and early actin. Funding fr REDD-plus actins is nt unlimited and shuld therefre be directed t thse actins that will nt nly result in reduced emissins and enhanced remvals but that can als generate significant benefits fr peple and bidiversity, including new livelihd ptins, the cnservatin f bidiversity and ecsystem services inside and utside prtected areas, and increased resilience f cmmunities and ecsystems t climate change. The design and implementatin f REDD-plus actins shuld als safeguard and prmte the engagement f indigenus peples and lcal cmmunities, including prviding fr gender-balanced and brad stakehlder participatin. Implementatin f REDD-plus activities will require agreed natinal framewrks that enjy the supprt f stakehlders. While the readiness phase is cntributing t achieving this aim, it is imprtant fr early actin r ther faststart initiatives t be firmly situated within the framewrk f REDD-plus natinal strategies. Furthermre, supprt fr early actin supprt shuld respect the full scpe f REDD-plus, while recgnizing the different cuntries may need t fcus their strategies and actins plans n certain aspects given their natinal cntext. IUCN urges Parties t ensure that the prvisin f financial resurces and investment fr early actin shuld: Respect and encurage the full scpe f REDD-plus Priritize REDD-plus actins that ptimize mitigatin benefits and prmte the applicatin f the safeguards, delivering multiple-benefits fr sustainable livelihds and bidiversity Incentivize thse peple at the apprpriate levels wh actually need t implement the necessary REDD actins Priritize REDD-plus activities that are framed within the cntext f natinal REDD-plus strategies r actin plans Supprt, cntribute t r be aligned with natinal MRV systems, including the definitin, testing and assessment f standards. IUCN (Internatinal Unin fr Cnservatin f Nature): Psitin Paper Page 4

5 Annex 1: Examples f measures t implement REDD-plus activities The Bali Actin Plan prvides scpe fr: Reducing emissins frm defrestatin and degradatin thrugh actins that prtect existing frests frm immediate and/r medium term threats f frest cnversin and further degradatin. This can be achieved thrugh such measures as: Clarificatin f tenure and rights fr land and carbn Adptin and enfrcement f laws t reduce defrestatin and frest degradatin Establishment f prtected areas r cmmunity-managed frest reserves Schemes that invlve payment fr ecsystem services Activities utside the frest sectr t reduce the pressure n frests (e.g. certified sustainable agriculture, remval f subsidies that encurage agricultural expansin int intact natural frests. Cnservatin: actins t prtect existing frests, especially primary frests, including thse that face n immediate threat frm defrestatin and degradatin but culd in future be subject t land use pressures created by natinal and internatinal leakage. This is particularly pertinent t cuntries and areas with currently high frest cver and lw rates f defrestatin (HFLD). This can be achieved thrugh such measures as: Establishing, expanding and effectively managing prtected areas and cnnectivity crridrs Recgnizing and supprting cnservatin actins by frest dependent cmmunities, including indigenus peples and cmmunity cnserved areas Land stewardship agreements and cnservatin easements Payments fr prvisin f the ecsystem services generated by prtected frest ecsystems, including carbn strage, water supply, prvisin f wildlife habitat, amng thers. Sustainable management f frests: actins that safeguard, and as apprpriate expand, existing carbn stcks in bth cmmunity and industrial wrking frests, in particular frests subject t cmmercial lgging and shifting agriculture, against lngterm decline while ensuring the ecnmically, eclgically and scially sustainable prvisin f assciated ecsystem gds and services. These shuld be implemented as part f supprtive natinal plicy framewrks that als include cnservatin and enhancement activities in a crdinated way. This includes such measures as: Independently certified prductin f timber that meets recgnized internatinal sustainability standards Sustainable prductin f nn-timber prducts Lw impact lgging that aims t minimize cllateral damage t trees, grund cver and sils Active silvicultural interventins t safeguard frests against anthrpgenic and destructive alteratins t natural fire regimes, pest and diseases and alien invasive species Imprved frest-based rtatinal (shifting) cultivatin practices t enhance fd security while maintaining the integrity f frests and the extent f frest cver. Adptin f cntinuus cver silvicultural systems that reduces lgging intensity at any pint in time and imprves stand structure Enhancement f frest carbn stcks: actins including restratin f frests as previusly prpsed by a number f delegatins. This is brader than increasing frest cver thrugh affrestatin and refrestatin. By restratin IUCN means landscape-scale restratin f frest ecsystems that significantly increases and IUCN (Internatinal Unin fr Cnservatin f Nature): Psitin Paper Page 5

6 maintains carbn stcks and results in healthy resilient ecsystems, which prvide the multiple gds and services peple need, maintain bidiversity and enhance eclgical integrity. A significant number f Parties already have established experience with such appraches. There are an estimated mre than 1 billin hectares f degraded lands where frest landscape restratin pprtunities may be fund, whse restratin culd sequester apprximately 140 GtCO2e by This can be achieved thrugh such measures as: Areas that are allwed t naturally regenerate r are regenerated thrugh plantings Areas that are restred fr watershed management Well-managed cmmercial and cmmunity plantatins established n degraded lands Restred prtective frests that prtect against flding, ersin and ther catastrphic events Planting f n-farm trees and ther sustainable agr-frestry systems. 2 GPFLR: A Wrld f Opprtunity. Nvember IUCN (Internatinal Unin fr Cnservatin f Nature): Psitin Paper Page 6