Involving forest-dependent communities in Climate Change Mitigation: Challenges and Opportunities for Successful Implementation of REDD+ in Tanzania

Presentation for: INTERNATIONAL STUDENT CONFERENCE ON CLIMATE CHANGE AND INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE SYSTEMS

Johannesburg, South Africa. 29 & 31 August 2011

Thabit Jacob, MSc.Candidate Institute of Resource Assessment University of Dar es Salaam

Outline of presentation
Background to the presentation What is REDD Highlight of REDD negotiations under the UNFCC Forest resource and degradation in Tanzania Background to REDD+ Program in Tanzania REDD+ Pilot projects in Tanzania Opportunities from REDD+ Risk of poor involvement of forest- dependent communities Challenges likely to face REDD+ Implementation in Tanzania Conclusion

Background to the Presentation

This presentation is based on preliminary reflection of an ongoing 5

years

research

programme

undertaken collaboratively between Tanzanian and Norwegian universities

The methodology is based on an

extensive

literature

review

and

several expert interviews.

WHAT IS REDD+
Deforestation and forest degradation accounts for some 17% of global greenhouse gas emissions, more than the entire global transport sector put together. Being a large source, forests could, however, be turned into great sinks. This demands halting deforestation and regenerating degraded forests. REDD stands for reducing emissions from deforestation and degradation plus (+) sustainable management of forest, conservation and enhancement of forest carbon stocks. It is an important part of global policies to address climate change. REDD seeks to reduce emissions from the forest sector in developing countries

WHAT IS REDD+.....
The basic idea behind REDD+ is simple: Countries that are willing and able to reduce emissions from deforestation should be financially compensated for doing so. Previous approaches to curb global deforestation have so far been unsuccessful, and REDD provides a new framework to allow deforesting countries to break this historical trend. With REDD+, we may significantly reduce global emissions at a reasonable cost, while also taking due account of the rights and livelihoods of indigenous peoples and local communities. It also present opportunities for improving biodiversity, rainfall patterns and soil quality, and helping developing forest countries adapt to climate change.

Global GHG sources by sector

Source, IPCC 2007

Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation (REDD)

With REDD activity

Carbon Stocks

CO2 emissions avoided Baseline (without project)

Time

Field activities need to use specific, robust methodologies to measure and monitor baselines and increases in forest carbon or reductions of emissions and these are complex!

Adopted from P. Z. Yanda (2010)

REDD+ Negotiations - Highlights

Kyoto protocol addressed afforestation and reforestation strategies but deforestation and forest degradation were excluded. In 2005 REDD was thus reintroduced in UNFCCC negotiations in Montreal at COP 11 in December 2007 in Bali at the COP 13 of UNFCCC, It was formally proposed for inclusion in the official negotiation agenda for a post 2012 regime. Discussions continued at COP 14 in Poznan, Poland, in December 2008 In 2009 consensus was reached at the COP 15 held in Copenhagen Denmark Copenhagen agreement was followed by international commitments and funding pledges to REDD pilot countries including Tanzania. Recently at the COP 16 in Cancun in Mexico, issues such as sustainable financing and rights of forest-dependant communities were high on the agenda. More discussion are expected later this year when Durban will host COP 17

Forest resource and degradation in Tanzania

Forests and woodland cover about 33.5 mill. ha in Tanzania. This is approximately 38 % of total land area. There is a significant deforestation in Tanzania with a rate in the range 100.000 500.000 ha/year (FAO & MNRT)

Major drivers for deforestation/forest degradation are agricultural expansion, needs for timber, fuel wood and charcoal production, fodder and livestock grazing.
Forest degradation is also prevalent in Tanzania, both in reserved forests and on general land. The rate is estimated around 500.000 ha/year. There is significant climate mitigation potential in Tanzanias forest sector

Background to REDD+ Program in Tanzania

With partnership from the Norgwenia government, the UN REDD Programme, Clinton foundation and other doners Tanzania embarked on REDD+ initiative back in 2008 in what is known as REDD READNESS phase The partneship focus on; developing PILOT PROJECTS test the effectiveness of the REDD mechanism; developing technologies for measuring carbon sequestration; and promoting research and capacity building programmes related to climate change challenges

It expected that experiences from such pilots and in-depth studies will provide inputs to the development of the REDD Strategy
The national REDD strategy is currently a draft document being reviewed by various stakeholders

REDD+ PILOT PROJECTS IN TANZANIA

Opportunities from REDD+

REDD has the potential to achieve significant multiple benefits;
Has the potential to deliver large cuts in emissions at a low
cost within a short time frame

Poverty alleviation
Improving governance (accountability in benefit sharing) Conserving biodiversity Provision of other environmental services, water quality/regulation and soil conservation among others.

RISK OF POOR INVOLVEMENT OF FOREST- DEPENDENT COMMUNITIES

exclusion from decision-making due to centralized , topdown forest management Renewed state control over forests Violations of rights over forests and forest resources

Land speculation land grabbing

Risks of eviction of these communities from their land

Challenges likely to face REDD+ Implementation in Tanzania

Insecure tenure is a major issue, which is likely to make investments unattractive. Also without formal tenure rights to land or carbon, there are risks that traditional land, forest, and resource rights of these communities will be violated. REDD+ could act as an incentive for government or investors to occupy poorly defined surplus land. land grabbing and exclusion by the more powerful (including government) will affect the poor and landless people to a great deal. Lack of clarity over rights to carbon and lack of access to legal systems even where rights are well defined may exclude poor people

Challenges cont....
Establishing and maintaining clear benefit sharing systems is a demanding task with previous initiatives (WMA, PFM, JFM) proved ineffective and controversial High transaction costs of implementing REDD+ in areas where forests (or their ownership) are fragmented, may exclude communities from REDD+ schemes.

Lack of regular, reliable, specific and accurate database for computing baseline emissions. This is likely to affect the establishment of regular and efficient monitoring systems for accurate quantification of carbon stock

Way Forward
Improve tenure security to strengthen local resource rights, including customary rights. Research capacity in regards to baseline conditions and measurements of carbon There is a need for greater political understanding and commitment Understanding of markets and other funding mechanisms Enhance transparency and accountability

Conclusion
Tanzania expects to learn more from the ongoing pilot (demonstration) projects

Tanzania must also continue engagement with UNFCCC climate change talks and COPs particularly

the upcoming conference in Duran to protect gains

already achieved and push for more

Thank you

Thabit Jacob: thabitsenior.jacob@gmail.com