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UNCTAD workshop at the African Carbon Forum 2015: Harvesting opportunities for REDD+


14 April 2015
11:00 - 21:00 hrs. Palmerai Palace Convention Center
Marrakech
, Morocco

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On 14 April 2015, UNCTAD organized in partnership with the UNEP DTU a workshop on Harvesting opportunities for REDD+ at the African Carbon Forum 2015. The activity is part of ongoing collaboration between UNCTAD, the Nairobi Framework Partnership and the UNFCCC process.

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 As we enter the post-2015 development framework, African countries should pursue pro-growth policies and build productive capacities for inclusive development and poverty reduction in a socioeconomically inclusive and environmentally sustainable manner.

Finding appropriate solutions to enable low-carbon development in Africa involves accessing the right technology paths, utilising local knowledge and fostering sustainable production structures through sound macroeconomic policies, including trade and investment. Integrated strategies, in this regard, can harness the important linkages and synergies that exist among inclusive growth and environmental sustainability.

For example, initiatives to preserve forests with livelihood enhancements from surrounding ecosystems, such as the sustainable harvest, production and trade of biodiversity products through BioTrade, or from developing sustainable agriculture production and trade, including organic agriculture, should be strengthened and expanded.

More sustainable agriculture and engagement in low-carbon development paths can contribute to the enhanced participation of African countries in carbon markets.
Mukhisa Kituyi
 In the run up to the UNFCCC Paris Conference in December 2015, countries are actively articulating how REDD+ schemes could be incorporated in national forestry policy, as to safeguard forest assets and ecosystem services for future generations.  Today, degradation of forests due to human influence accounts for a large share of greenhouse gas emissions globally (17-29 % of total emissions), being thus a major driver of global climate change. About 80% of global above ground carbon is stored in forests, especially in areas like Indonesia, Brazil, Congo and Zimbabwe, making forestry policy an important area for climate change mitigation. The event raised awareness about REDD+ opportunities  that can help preserve forests while enabling livelihoods for communities and countries.
 
Neeta Hooda representing the World Bank mentioned the experience of the Bank  with the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility and BioCarbon Fund, especially the perception that there is no one-size-fits all recipe for managing the forests, but instead every country must find its own nationally-acceptable strategy.   She stressed the need for action at scale on REDD+, moving from project level to jurisdictional scales, achieving landscape transformations by 2030. While recent developments such as the New York declaration on forests show that countries are committed to reducing deforestation, forest degradation and  forest conservation, she emphasized that it is important to anchor REDD+ discussions within overall national development strategies/ frameworks. An important area of focus shall be on provision of economic benefits for local communities who are the ultimate keepers of forest conservation. Specific examples were also mentioned, such as the need to complement REDD+ discussions with national, multi-ministry actions to tackle related sectors such as energy (e.g. charcoal), agriculture and sustainable commodity supply chains such as the efforts being made on  using  REDD+ as an opportunity a to foster sustainable cocoa production in Ghana. She concluded that there is an enormous climate mitigating potential in forestry programmes, and the lead up to and post-Paris years represent an opportunity to raise ambition on REDD+ and include similar pledges in Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs). The World Bank can assist countries in this process through ongoing support in countries and providing the technical knowledge.
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Sigurd Klakeg from Norway's Ministry of Climate and Environment mentioned Norway's stance as a supporter of climate financing, and in particularly REDD+.  Norway committed to reducing GHG domestic and globally, and has purchased during the first CDM (Clean Development Mechanism) period about 22 million credits from CDM, amounting to 200 million euros. Mr. Klakeg mentioned Norway's engagement in forest based climate change mitigation initiatives such as the Norwegian Governments International Climate and Forest initiative (NICFI). The initiative supports REDD+ efforts, and has an annual budget amounting to close to 400 million euros. NICFI  is working through bilateral agreements (with e.g. Indonesia and Brazil), through multilateral institutions like the World Bank and the UN, and through grants to civil society organizations. He also mentioned Norway's Carbon Procurement program, which in its core seeks to pay above-market prices for CDM credits, effectively supporting CDM projects in context of low market prices for Certified Emission Reductions (CERs).
 
Illustrating on-the ground actions and challenges on forest conservation, officials from Zimbabwe and Ghana mentioned issues which are of immediate importance to further develop forest stewardship in those countries, as well as link national efforts with broader REDD+ frameworks.
 
Yaw Kwakye from Ghana's forestry authority discussed how REDD+ is evolving, and the lesson learned. He stressed that Ghana has seen its forest cover reduced from 8.2 million hectares in the early 20th century to about 1.6 million hectares today. The main drivers for deforestation, he highlighted, were unsustainable agriculture,  timber and charcoal production, as well as growing urbanization and infrastructure needs.  Institutional shortcomings and policy gaps are also factors which have contributed to forest degradation. He said that Ghana is looking for ways to improve economic productivity in its forests, including large scale projects amounting to 5.9 million hectares, bringing in private sector participation and profiting from successful lessons gained in nearby countries.
 
Discussing the Zimbabwean case, Chemist Gumbie from Zimbabwe's forestry authority stated that Zimbabwe only started REDD+ work in 2013, and still needs policy support in order to advance its work. Forests in Zimbabwe are under pressure from fires, deforestation, degradation, droughts and livestock grazing.   The national legal framework on forest protection goes back as far as 1950s, having had about 40 amendments since then. The Zimbabwe Forestry Commission is the custodian of legal frameworks on forests in the country.
 
Soon after being admitted to UN REDD+, Zimbabwe started awareness activities and has engaged in capacity building on how to estimate carbon stocks. It has launched 2 pilot projects and is actively seeking best-practice experiences from other countries. Among challenges identified are unclearly defined property rights, inadequate safeguards, the need for a comprehensive forest policy review, as well as inadequate financing and a not-yet fully developed REDD+ strategy. On the other hand, it is mentioned worthy-noting that Zimbabwe enjoys a strong political support for REDD+ project development and for investment in the forest and environment sectors.
The presentations and discussions at the event show that stronger REDD+ payments for forest-based climate change mitigation are increasingly perceived and made use of as very important for forest preservation and climate change mitigation. However, REDD+ alone is not a sufficient condition to protect forested areas. To complement benefits from REDD+ payments, ensure  REDD+ project sustainability and fully engage local populations to protect forested areas, additional sources of livelihoods are necessary to create a multi-layered system of various income streams in forest areas (REDD+ as well as eco-tourism, BioTrade and orchestrated energy policies).
 
UNCTAD's Secretary-General Mukisha Kituyi welcomed the African Carbon Forum and expressed that initiatives to help African countries preserve forests with livelihood enhancements from surrounding ecosystems, such as the sustainable harvest, production and trade of biodiversity products through BioTrade, should be strengthened and expanded.

 

Presentations : ​http://www.africacarbonforum.com/2015/english/presentations.htm 

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Co-organizer(s):
UNEP DTU Partnership

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