A whole landscape approach will make REDD+ efficient, effective and equitable (News Release)

NEWS RELEASE

(November 29, 2010).  How can initiatives to reduce emissions work efficiently to produce desired outputs while at the same time equitably rewarding all those involved in the reduction process? 

 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact- (Cancun, Mexico ) +254 717718387; p.stapleton@cgiar.org;

Contact- (Nairobi, Kenya) +254 721 537 627; ekahurani@cgiar.org

 Contact – (Nairobi, Kenya) +254 717 711 769: y.otieno@cgiar.org

www.worldagroforestry.org ; www.asb.cgiar.org

A whole landscape approach will make REDD+ efficient, effective and equitable

(November 29, 2010).  As the world convenes in Cancun, Mexico for yet another year of climate change discussions of the 16^th Conference of Parties (COP 16), the big question still remains: how can initiatives to reduce emissions work efficiently to produce desired outputs while at the same time equitably rewarding all those involved in the reduction process?

Challenges of Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD+) as it is currently being discussed lie in the uncertainties of what is actually considered forest, the fact that most deforestation and forest degradation is driven by forces outside the forests, and the need to account for emissions that are being displaced into areas outside the forests following their protection.

The answer lies in looking beyond the forest to capture emissions and manage carbon stocks from other land uses. This calls for a whole landscape approach which can overcome challenges that hinder the successful implementation of REDD+.

Current efforts to obtain commitment and create incentives for REDD+ in developing countries are not clear about what types of forests are targeted and how they relate to ‘non-forest’ land uses. Different forest types and conditions represent different degrees of emissions and options for sequestration. This is particularly important because the main drivers of deforestation, such as agriculture, commercial demand, policy and population growth, lie mostly outside the forest domain.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s accounting rules for Agriculture, Forestry and Other Land Use (AFOLU) provide a simple alternative: include all land use proportionate to actual emissions and emission potential. A whole landscape accounting approach is needed in the long term to address these drivers within REDD+.

A whole-landscape approach can help address the drivers of deforestation, reduce problems like leakage, and eliminate the need for precise forest definitions. According to Dr. Peter Minang, The Global Coordinator of the ASB Partnership for Tropical Forest Margins, there are strategies that can be adopted by developing countries. “We are compiling evidence that shows how developing countries can adopt strategies for these high-carbon storing land-uses to reduce global emissions and benefit local people,” says Dr. Minang.

Agroforestry is Key in REDD+

One REDD scheme with considerable potential in Africa is agroforestry, the use of trees on farms to sustainably intensify agriculture, increase yields and conserve the environment. Developing countries’ quest for food security through agricultural expansion often leads to deforestation and forest degradation. Agroforestry integrates growing trees with agricultural and horticultural production. It can help reduce deforestation indirectly by providing tree products and services that would have otherwise been exploited from the forest, such as fuel wood, charcoal, and timber.

What is included or not included in REDD+ as currently framed is still subject to much debate. Yet trees on agricultural landscapes represent a globally important carbon stock. Forty-six percent of agricultural land globally has at least 10% tree cover.

In Southeast Asia and Central America, 50% has at least 30% tree cover. The carbon stocks in peat lands are equivalent to 70 years worth of current global carbon dioxide emissions. The current REDD+ scope does not include peat lands that constitute already lost forest cover but keep emitting carbon dioxide. This is 3-5% of global CO₂ emissions. “Ignoring this issue will undermine the success of global mechanisms for emission control,” says Dr.  Henry Neufeldt, Leader of the Global Research Programme on Climate Change at the World Agroforestry Centre in Nairobi, Kenya.

Why is agroforestry important to REDD+?

Poor people in developing countries are the most vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Increasing variability in year-to-year rainfall and more frequent extreme events will change ecosystems and speed up the degradation of soil and water resources. Smallholder farming communities that rely on these resources, and have limited ability to expand or intensify, will suffer most from the negative impacts of climate change. There is growing recognition of the role agroforestry can play in improving the resilience of farming systems to climate variability. The agroforestry approach of increasing the use of trees on farms sequesters carbon and contributes to mitigating climate change, builds resilience to climate variability and increases food security and income.

“Promoting agroforestry within REDD+ policies could help address drivers of deforestation ,” says Dr. Minang. “There is a need to scale-up proven tree-based farming practices, such as combining conservation agriculture with agroforestry. This requires support from policymakers for effective implementation,”he adds.

Policymakers need to provide start-up inputs, including high-quality seeds, nurseries, and agroforestry training and extension materials. Further requirements include markets for agroforestry products, effective systems for managing carbon credits and payments for environmental services, and financial stimuli for farmers to plant trees. REDD strategies will also have to address other issues, including the causes of deforestation, sustainable forest management and monitoring capacity. Funding for agricultural research and extension programmes for agricultural intensification must be part of all REDD packages.

 The way forward

According to Dr Meine van Noordwijk, the Chief Science Advisor at the World Agroforestry Centre,

 “Four ‘pillars’ that support a whole landscape agenda must be considered.”  Dr .Meine lists the four pillars as “Reducing forest-based emissions, reducing emissions from peat, restocking land through trees and soil carbon, and reducing emissions from agricultural greenhouse gases.”

“What is needed now is a global commitment to move forward, comprehensively, to reduce emissions from all land uses,” adds Dr Neufeldt.

Before REDD projects are able to cut carbon emissions and benefit livelihoods, many developing countries will require substantial investments in capacity building, science and institutions. For example, countries will need technical support to develop carbon inventory systems and their remote sensing capacity. In addition, they will need support to set up the institutional infrastructure required to distribute REDD benefits and implement the various incentive schemes. Land tenure and forest governance are key factors determining the success or failure of REDD initiatives.

The pressing need is for deforestation policies that reduce the rate of logging, enforce policies on the replacement planting of felled trees, and recognize and scale up agroforestry options as an important win-win solution to climate change – through mitigation and adaptation – as they improve the environment and generate income for poor people.