In the last few weeks a number of REDD related events have been held around Africa: the Ready for REDD Forum at the UNFCCC Climate Change talks in Accra (21-27 August); A Special Ministerial Session on REDD and Climate Change during the Ministerial Council of the Central African Forest Commission – COMIFAC in Bangui (9-11 September — download the Declaration de Bangui); The Katoomba Group meeting for East and Southern Africa in Dar es Salaam (15-18 September); and the Africa Forest Forum Workshop on Climate Change and Variability in Africa in Nairobi (23-25 September). ASB was present and active in all of these events.
These meetings have heightened discussions on REDD and climate change in the continent on two key questions: How is Africa going to approach the negotiations leading up to a post 2012 arrangement in Copenhagen in 2009? How ready is Africa for REDD?
A Common Position
Regarding the negotiations, there is consensus on the need for African countries to adopt a common position given the stakes of the upcoming negotiations. Some voices within the continent caution, however, that the common position should adequately recognize the diversity of interests in the region with respect to humid forests, dry forests and woodlands. UNEP and the African Forest Forum (AFF) are planning projects to support African negotiators in this respect- i.e. by organizing preparatory meetings and providing technical backstopping during negotiations. The Congo Basin group is perhaps the most advanced in developing a common position through recent REDD submissions to the UNFCCC process. The Congo Basin group have concentrated on the need to include forest degradation in REDD and floated the idea of an “allowance for development or permissible emissions due to development.” Substantive work on definition, measureable and modalities for implementation is yet to begin in earnest.
Is Africa REDD-y?
There has been some progress in REDD planning since Bali. Several countries made their first concerted efforts to plan for REDD through the development of Readiness- Plan Idea Notes (R-PIN) for the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility of the World Bank. About 15 African countries developed R-PINs, six of which have been selected for support (Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Madagascar). The Norwegian Government is giving special attention to Tanzania and the Congo Basin as part of its Climate and Forest Initiative. Last week it was announced that Tanzania, Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo have been selected as pilot countries for the new UN_REDD programme. Apart from these high profile initiatives, there is a hodge-podge of small REDD-type projects under development, with Uganda perhaps having the largest portfolio of such initiatives in the pipeline. Many of these projects are being developed under the radar screen of national governments.
Despite these signs of progress, the recent meetings have highlighted the need for considerably more awareness-raising, knowledge development and negotiation skills enhancement at relevant levels. Some countries still experience schisms between their forestry and environment sectors. Many of the R-PINs were developed in a hurry and by a small number of ‘insiders’ or consultants. No African country has had the kind of concerted analysis or inclusive consultation that was held in Indonesia in the latter half of 2007.
Resource persons at these meetings also expressed the need for African Countries to adopt a strategic approach to REDD: one that would enable them assess how much carbon they have and how any eventual REDD mechanism would interact with and impact other sectors of the economy. It is felt that a much better understanding of the potential costs and benefits of REDD mechanisms would enable informed decision-making and possibly a much larger buy-in from policy makers.
Different African forests need different approaches
An important cross-cutting point regarding both the negotiations and readiness is the emerging inequality between drier and more humid forest countries. The shift in focus from CDM forestry to REDD seems to be marginalizing dry forest countries with funding for REDD readiness and negotiations concentrating on the humid forest countries. The dry-forest countries have received little support in current REDD readiness discussions (with the exception a few – e.g. Kenya). It is noted that countries such as Sudan feature amongst the highest in terms of areas and rates of deforestation and that REDD projects in the drier areas may yield significant adaptation benefits.
Pleas for action have been unanimous in all of these meetings and we sincerely hope more REDD things happen- AND SOON!!!
by Brent Swallow (ASB Global Coordinator) and Peter Akong Minang (ASB Program Associate)
Written by: ASB Blog Editor
