To “raise awareness on sustainable management, conservation and sustainable development of all types of forests” (Our Wrld 2.0)

Read at :

http://ourworld.unu.edu/en/more-than-just-planting-trees/

More than just planting trees

by Mark Notaras

The United Nations has declared 2011 as International Year of Forests. The rationale for this is undoubtedly quite strong. As the UN’s portal site makes clear in the introductory slide show, forests cover 31% of the world’s total land area, of which 36% is biologically rich primary forest, also known as old-growth forest.

Ecologically, the importance of forests is well known; they are, after all, home to 80% of the Earth’s terrestrial biodiversity. Adding further weight to the importance of protecting forests, researchers in 2009 found that up to 18% of annual rises in CO2 emissions are absorbed by tropical forests alone — meaning that the destruction of an individual forest has global, as well as local consequences.

The aim of the International Year of Forests campaign is to “raise awareness on sustainable management, conservation and sustainable development of all types of forests”.

The role of agriculture in deforestation (IIED)

Read at :

http://pubs.iied.org/17086IIED.html

Beyond forestry: why agriculture is key to the success of REDD+

Maryanne Grieg-Gran

IIED code: 17086IIED

Published: Nov 2010 – IIED

Topics: Agriculture & Food, Climate Change, Forestry

Series: IIED Briefing Papers

Details: 4 pages (Briefing)

When it comes to deforestation, the task of reconciling climate and development goals poses a daunting challenge. Forest clearing is both the source of significant greenhouse gas emissions that fuel climate change and, for some farmers, the most practical means for expanding agricultural production to meet rising food demands. ‘REDD’ or ‘REDD+’ mechanisms for reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation, by providing developing countries with incentives to conserve their forests, are rapidly gaining credence as effective tools for mitigating climate change.

But if they are to work, they must pay more attention to the role of agriculture in deforestation and the implications for food security of reducing deforestation. Improving agricultural productivity will be key. But productivity gains must not undermine REDD+ efforts. This means nurturing low-emission alternatives to forest clearing. It means supporting poor farmers to adapt to climate change. Above all, it means climate, forest and agriculture policy communities must work together.

A round up of the week’s news on REDD (REDD Monitor)

Read at : Google Alert – desertification

http://www.redd-monitor.org/2011/01/03/redd-in-the-news-20-26-december-2010/

REDD in the news: 20-26 December 2010

By REDD-Monitor, 3rd January 2011

By Chris Lang
A first major shot was fired by the director general of the UN convention
to combat desertification (UNCCD), Luc Gnacadja. He claims that slowing
desertification and land degradation decreases the emission of carbon
dioxide stored in …

A round up of the week’s news on REDD, in chronological order with short extracts (click on the title for the full article). REDD-Monitor’s news page (REDD in the news) is updated regularly.

Developing Social and Environmental Safeguards for REDD+

Forest Trends, December 2010 | Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) mechanisms are one of the best short term alternatives for significantly reducing green house gas emissions, thus contributing to minimize the impacts of global climate changes. This guide describes a process for developing REDD+ socio and environmental safeguards in Brazil that is based on a broad participation of all parties involved. The discussion process included the private sector, environmental organizations, representatives of indigenous peoples and local communities, smallholders, and research institutions.

New publication “Agriculture and deforestation: What role should REDD+ and public support policies play?” (IISD)

Read at : Forest Policy Info Mailing List <forests-l@lists.iisd.ca>

 

You might find this new publication of interest: “Agriculture and deforestation: What role should REDD+ and public support policies play?”.

It builds on existing research on agricultural technologies and their impact on forest cover, and critically assesses the Borlaug hypothesis (land sparing), in order to derive implications for an effective REDD+ mechanism.

The english version can be downloaded at: http://www.iddri.org/Publications/Collections/Idees-pour-le-debat/Agriculture-and-deforestation-What-role-should-REDD+-and-public-support-policies-play

Romain Pirard
Project Manager Forests
IDDRI, http://www.iddri.org

————————————————————
Chers collègues,

Cette nouvelle publication est susceptible de vous intéresser : “Agriculture et déforestation : quel rôle pour REDD+ et les politiques publiques d’accompagnement ?”.

Ce document s’appuie sur la recherche existante sur les changements d’itinéraires techniques agricoles et leur impact sur le couvert forestier, et étudie de manière critique l’hypothèse de Borlaug (land sparing) pour en déduire des recommandations quant au fonctionnement de REDD+.

La version française peut être téléchargée au lien suivant : http://www.iddri.org/Publications/Collections/Idees-pour-le-debat/Agriculture-et-deforestation-quel-role-pour-REDD+-et-les-politiques-publiques-d’accompagnement

Romain Pirard
Chef de projet Forêts
IDDRI, http://www.iddri.org

The REDD+ concept (IISD)

Read at : Forest Policy Info Mailing List <forests-l@lists.iisd.ca>

REDD+ Online Course

UPDATED! ONLINE INTRODUCTORY COURSE ON REDD+:

www.conservationtraining.org

The Nature Conservancy; Conservation International; the Climate, Community, and Biodiversity Alliance; Rainforest Alliance, the World Wildlife Fund, and GTZ have updated their online introductory course on reducing emissions from deforestation and degradation and conservation and enhancement of forest carbon stocks (REDD+) with new information and activities.

This course provides a basic level of understanding regarding the REDD+ concept. 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 at a national or sub-national scale. The course is meant to enable participants to more fully understand and better engage in REDD+ policy negotiations at the national and international levels and to facilitate the development of credible REDD+ activities in developing countries through basic capacity building.

The course is free and publicly available at: www.conservationtraining.org

REDD+ in dryland forests (IIED)

Read at :

http://www.iied.org/pubs/display.php?o=17506IIED

International Institute for Environment and Development

REDD+ in dryland forests: Issues and prospects for pro-poor REDD in the miombo woodlands of southern Africa

Ivan Bond, Muyeye Chambwera, Brian Jones, Isilda Nhantumbo and Monica Chundama

Published: May 2010 – IIED

Areas: Africa (entire region), Mozambique, Zambia, Namibia

Topics: Forestry, Markets, Natural Resource Management

Language: English

Series: Natural Resource Issues 21

Price: £23.00 UK
and $35.00 US, $0.00 to Non-OECD countries

Implementing REDD+ programs involves providing sufficient incentives to land users and requires a supportive policy, legal and institutional environment. Community-based natural resources management (CBNRM) in the miombo ecoregion of east and southern Africa has addressed these issues in its evolution. This has seen the evolution of policy, legal and institutional mechanisms that attach market value to commonly controlled resources and facilitate market-led conservation, leading to some successful sustainable management of natural resources. The lessons from CBNRM in the miombo ecoregion provide a basis on which REDD+ in dry-land forests can build. While there has been a general positive trend in the development of supportive policies at regional level, individual countries are at different stages of a policy continuum. In a region where poverty is high and is also a key driver of land use change, REDD+ mechanisms need to be pro-poor, explicitly addressing and building the assets and capability of the poorest households at policy level and in practice. They also need to pay for the value of land uses that the poor could have otherwise pursued in the absence of REDD+ as well as the costs of facilitating the implementation of REDD+ in environments where forest resources are often jointly owned or managed by communities. These costs are highly variable across the region.

The Program on Forests (PROFOR) supported a research project in the miombo ecoregion to address these and other issues that a REDD program in the region would be confronted with. Three country case studies covering Zambia, Mozambique and Namibia were used to draw lessons from CBNRM that could inform pro-poor REDD as well as providing the likely opportunity costs of REDD+. The study draws on well – documented experiences of CBNRM and wide consultations undertaken by country experts during the study.

On-the-Ground REDD Project Experience (The Nature Conservancy / IISD)

Read at : Forest Policy Info Mailing List <forests-l@lists.iisd.ca>

New Casebook of On-the-Ground REDD Project Experience

The Nature Conservancy, Conservation International and Wildlife Conservation Society are pleased to share with you a new publication entitled Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD):  A Casebook of On-the-Ground Experience, which we hope you will find of interest. The full report is available electronically at: http://conserveonline.org/workspaces/redd/documents/redd-a-casebook-of-on-the-ground-experience

Today, there is widespread consensus that we cannot solve the climate change crisis without addressing deforestation.  Yet, there are on-going attempts to cast doubt on whether forest carbon can be a credible part of the climate solution, and a debate is in full swing about the inclusion of forests in U.S. and international climate policy.  Against this backdrop, we felt it was important to document and share our experience.  To that end, we set out several months ago to painstakingly synthesize over a decade of history and thousands of pages of technical documents into the attached 70-page casebook on a selection of our REDD efforts.

REDD+ in dryland forests (IIED / IISD)

Read at : Forest Policy Info Mailing List <forests-l@lists.iisd.ca>

IIED New Publication: REDD+ in dryland forests.

The International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) is pleased to announce the publication of a new report. This publication can be downloaded along with over 4,000 other resources, from our website http://www.iied.org/pubs

REDD+ in dryland forests: Issues and prospects for pro-poor REDD in the miombo woodlands of southern Africa

Implementing REDD+ programs involves providing sufficient incentives to land users and requires a supportive policy, legal and institutional environment. Community-based natural resources management (CBNRM) in the miombo ecoregion of east and southern Africa has addressed these issues in its evolution.

Greenoxx NGO sells first tons of REDD Project (IISD / Greenoxx)

Read at : Forest Policy Info Mailing List <forests-l@lists.iisd.ca>

Greenoxx NGO sells first tons of REDD Project

The Madre de Dios Amazon REDD Project has been registered in the Markit Environmental Registry, as another step towards its future registration in the VCS. The project sold its first 40.000 tons of CO2 in May 2010, at a USD 7 price per carbon certificate.
The Madre de Dios Amazon REDD Project has been approved according to the CCB Standards (Climate, Community and Biodiversity Standards). Due to its high social and environmental sustainability the project obtained Gold Level, being one of first REDD projects to achieve said status.
The project has been developed by Greenoxx NGO, who also financed an important part of the project and is exclusively commercializing.

This news is really very positive to all the REDD community since it demonstrates that REDD projects are feasible and conserving the Amazon may become a reality.

=====================

Madre de Dios Amazon REDD Project ha sido registrado en Markit Environmental Registry, para su futuro registro en VCS. El proyecto vendió sus primeras 40.000 toneladas de CO2 en mayo de 2010, a un precio de USD 7 por certificado de carbono.

Madre de Dios Amazon REDD Project ha sido aprobado de acuerdo al Standard CCB (Climate, Community and Biodiversity Standards). Debido a su alta sustentabilidad social y ambiental, el proyecto obtuvo calificación Gold, siendo uno de los primeros proyectos REDD en obtener dicho status.

El proyecto fue desarrollado por Greenoxx ONG, quien también financió una parte importante del proyecto y se encuentra comercializándolo en forma exclusiva.

Esta noticia es realmente muy positiva para toda la comunidad REDD ya que demuestra que los proyectos REDD son factibles y la conservación de la Amazonia se puede transformar en una realidad.

Eng. Rocco Cheirasco
Chairman & CEO
Greenoxx Global Environmental Program
http://www.greenoxx.com
Costa Rica 1661 | of. 7
11500 – Montevideo, Uruguay

REDD and Biodiversity (IISD)

Read at : Forest Policy Info Mailing List <forests-l@lists.iisd.ca>

REDD-plus & Biodiversity eNewsletter

Please find attached the latest volume of the CBD REDD-plus & Biodiversity Newsletter.

redd-newsletter-vol-9

To subscribe, or to view previous issues of the Newsletter, please visit http://www.cbd.int/forest/redd/newsletters/

Apologies for cross-posting.

Best regards,

Tim Christophersen
Programme Officer for forest biodiversity
Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity
United Nations Environment Programme
413 St-Jacques O., Suite 800
Montreal, QC., H2Y 1N9, Canada

Guyana: The President, UNCCD and REDD+ (Guyana Chronicle)

Read at : Google Alert – desertification

http://www.guyanachronicleonline.com/site/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=11415:un-executive-secretary-on-unccd-acknowledges-presidents-expertise-on-avoided-deforestation&catid=4:top-story&Itemid=8

UN Executive Secretary on UNCCD acknowledges President’s expertise on avoided deforestation

Desertification, an issue integrally linked to the climate change agenda, was discussed Saturday when Executive Secretary of the United National Convention on Combating Desertification (UNCCD), Luc Gnacadja, met President Jagdeo at State House.

President Bharrat Jagdeo meeting Executive Secretary of the United National Convention on Combating Desertification (UNCCD) Luc Gnacadja. Also in photo is Coordinating Regional Officer of the UNCCD in Latin America Heitor Matallo

The Executive Secretary was accompanied by Coordinating Regional Officer of the UNCCD in Latin America, Heitor Matallo, in the talks which addressed ways of tackling land degradation and mitigating the effect of drought through sustainable land management and land rehabilitation.