Of Forests, Climate change, National economies and
Rural Livelihoods: is REDD+ the solution?
Zimbabwe as a case study
Honestly T. Ndlovu
Southern Alliance For Indigenous Resources
Adapting to climate change through protecting
and enriching local natural woodlands and
forests in Malipati, Chiredzi District
Southern Alliance For Indigenous Resources
Study site
Forests in Trouble??
(FAO, 2011) estimated thats Zimbabwes forests now cover about
40.4% of the country which is about 15,624,000 ha of the countrys total
land area
However- Over the last two decades there have been significant loses of
forest cover in Zimbabwe, current estimates of forest loss are about
330,000ha or 1.48% per annum
Between 1990 and 2010, Zimbabwe lost 29.5% of its forest cover, about
6,540,000 ha. Most of the deforestation takes place in the rural areas
where people are dependent on agriculture for their livelihoods and
wood fuel for energy for both cooking and heating with other multiple
uses of the trees.
The four major direct causes of deforestation and forest degradation in
Zimbabwe are:
(i)clearance of land for agriculture
(ii) fuel wood collection
(iii)wild fires
(iv) over-grazing
Why forests:
Conserve biodiversity
Protect watershed services
Provide NTFP which are important for
community livelihoods (honey, fruits,
game, insects etc.)
Forests are carbon stores
linked to climate change..
Climate change now a fact!!
1. Global average surface
temperatures increased
by between 0.3-0.6C
since the late 19th
century
2. Global sea level rose by
10 25cm in the last 100
years
A temperature increase of 25 C is predicted over the coming decades
(IPCC, 2001)
It is also predicted that annual rainfall will decrease across Zimbabwe in
future. Hot & dry future!!
CARBON REDUCTION
Basis of project is on carbon dioxide removal
from the atmosphere
Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas (GHG)
which has been proved to be one of the
leading GHGs causing the increase in global
average temperatures over time (Global
Warming)
The carbon dioxide accumulation can
however be reduced by (SINKS)- which
absorb carbon dioxide during their normal
day to day activities
The main terrestrial sinks being
forest/woodland areas
carbon emissions
carbon removals
Trees absorb CO2 through
photosynthesis, store it as carbon
and release it through respiration,
decomposition and combustion.
The carbon sink function of a
forest increases with the forests
rate of growth and the permanence
with which it retains carbon
As such reducing forest loss
increases the available sinks to
absorb CO2 and contribute to
climate change reduction!
Global Historical CO2 Emissions
What is REDD-plus (REDD+)
DEFINITION:
REDD+ = a Concept for Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest
Degradation in developing countries; and the role of conservation, sustainable
management of forests and enhancement of forest carbon stocks in developing
countries.
R = reduce; E = emissions;
D = deforestation; D = forest degradation
Plus = role of conservation, sustainable management of forests and enhancement
of forest carbon stocks to provide positive incentives for such actions.
REDD+ is a Mitigation concept under the UNFCCC processes
(or can be considered as a Modified CDM Concept but the two are not the
same)
The UNFCCC convention (COP16) in Mexico in 2010, in the Cancun Agreement,
realised the important role of REDD+ and called for an immediate establishment of
a Green Climate Fund that includes REDD+ to mobilize financial resources
from industrialized countries to support climate mitigation, adaptation
activities and policies in developing countries.
REDD+ Capacity Building Workshop
13
REDD+ in developing countries
Deforestation and forest degradation are major sources of GHG
emissions because they cause the release, to the atmosphere, of the
carbon stored in forests in the form of Carbon dioxide and other GHGs,
such as methane.
Decision 1/CP.16 also addressed other aspects of mitigation, such as:
measuring, reporting and verification (MRV); and reducing
emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing
countries; and the role of conservation, sustainable management
of forests, and enhancement of forest carbon stocks in
developing countries (REDD+).
Parties also recognized the commitment by developed countries to
provide US$30 billion of fast-start finance in 2010-2012, and to
jointly mobilize US$100 billion per year by 2020.
1. REDD+ aims to reduce the worlds overall
green house gas emissions, reducing
emissions through:
Sustainable forest management
Enhancement of forest carbon stocks
2. Promote conservation and sustainable
forest management that enhance forest
carbon stocks
3. REDD+ Projects to address the underlying
causes driving deforestation and compatible
therefore, the mechanism for reducing emissions from
deforestation and degradation (REDD) presents an
opportunity to add value to the countrys ongoing
conservation efforts.
Community-based natural resource management (CBNRM)
has been adopted as a strategy to ensure involvement of
local communities in managing their resources while
ensuring that the benefits are shared equitably.
REDD is presented as an opportunity to complement the
shortcomings of CBNRM, particularly in areas and countries
most endowed with forest resources
National and Rural economies
Rural communities rely heavily on forests for
daily livelihoods
Basic forests resources being (food, water,
shelter, business etc.)
Climate change is affecting rural communities
that are heavily dependent on natural resources
and rain-fed agriculture heavily
Most developing countries are at the same time
facing nation economic crisis
This all points to having vulnerable communities
Results in
Increased deforestation for livelihood projects to
deal with food shortages (brick moulding, sale of
firewood, charcoal sales,
Overharvesting of NTFS (fruits and insects)- less
regeneration and total loss of some species eg.
Mopane worms, Strychnos spp etc
Reduced care for forest protection/ biodiversityon empty stomach
Increased fires
Poor national economies result in accelerated
rates of forest degradation and higher carbon
emissions
Climate hazard and vulnerabilities
Main livelihoods affected
Crop farming
Main climate hazards by
rank
Livestock keeping
Drought
Gardens
Veld fires
Mopane worm collection
Pests and diseases
Floods
Is REDD the solution??
14 million hectares of continuous forestland is
available in Zimbabwe stretching from the
southern low veldt through the west to the
northwest
CHALLENGES OF REDD+
Lack of transparency of benefit sharing
Delays on realizing benefits
Lack of knowledge on the project by other
stakeholders
Oscillations on market price of the certified carbon
credits.
Projects should have a wider community impact,
especially those that relate to cropping so that the
aim and objective of the project is fully achieved.
Low carbon prices
Example of voluntary carbon markets
23
THANK YOU
honestly@[Link]
