The Case for Avoided Deforestation

May 2007

Stable transition zones between agriculture and natural forests, often via a zone of 'agroforest', provide opportunities for 'reduced emissions from deforestation', as in this example from Jambi (Sumatra); Photo - Meine van Noordwijk

Climate Change and its global impacts can no longer be ignored. While cutting emissions from fossil fuel consumption obviously deserves continued attention by all levels of the global society, the approximately 20% of emissions that are due to loss of forests and peatlands cannot remain outside the purview of climate change mechanisms.

Recognizing this, the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change invited a discussion "on issues relating to reducing emissions from deforestation in developing countries, focusing on relevant scientific, technical and methodological issues, and the exchange of relevant information and experiences, including policy approaches and positive incentives" in its eleventh session on agenda item 6 (FCCC/CP/2005/L.2).

The World Agroforestry Centre (also known as the International Centre for Research in Agroforestry - ICRAF) prepared a submission for consideration in the discussion. The submission is based on extensive research across the humid tropics by a consortium of international and national organizations operating within the ASB Partnership for the Tropical Forest Margins, with key research results generated by Brazil, Peru, Cameroon, Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines (see climate change for related ASB results).

The case for avoided deforestation with sustainable benefits (or download PDF brochure)