Forest carbon stocks Current status of REDD+

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3.3.1 Forest carbon stocks

In the 2010 FAO forest resources assessment, the researchers estimated there are 22,028 million tonnes of carbon stored in ASEAN forests. This is approximately 60 percent of the total carbon in all Asian forests and 8 percent of the global total FAO, 2010a. Gibbs et al. 2007 estimated that carbon stored in above- and below-ground biomass in ASEAN forests was between 20,000 and 46,000 million tonnes of carbon – 14 percent of the total in the countries they studied. However, current methods of data collection have varying degrees of accuracy, and estimates of forest carbon stocks vary considerably Gibbs et al., 2007. National data on forest carbon stocks are not yet available for all countries. Table 11: Estimates of forest carbon in ASEAN countries and other regions 3.3.2 Current status of REDD+ At the regional level, the ASEAN countries have issued a Common Position declaring their preferred approach to REDD Box 8. At the national level, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand and Viet Nam have all initiated some form of REDD+ activities for reducing CO 2 emissions produced by deforestation and forest degradation. REDD+ readiness activities in some countries, such as Cambodia and Viet Nam, are well advanced, with legal frameworks and national strategies in place and demonstration projects underway. In other countries, such as Myanmar and Thailand, REDD+ activities are still at a relatively early stage. National data MtC FAO forest resources assessment 2010 32 MtC Country Gibbs et al., 2007 MtC 32 Adapted from the 2010 forest resources assessment global tables: carbon stock in living forest biomass FAO, 2010. Brunei Darussalam Cambodia Indonesia Lao PDR Malaysia Myanmar Philippines Thailand Singapore Viet Nam ASEAN total Asia Africa South America North and Central America Europe Oceania Global total - 2,960 - - - - 1,942 1,897 - - - - - - - - - - 72 464 13,017 1,074 3,212 1,654 663 - 880 992 22,028 34,891 55,736 93,270 37,457 45,009 3,902 270,265 40–115 957–1,914 10,252–25,547 718–1,870 2,405–4,821 2,377–5,182 765–2,503 1,346–2,489 - 774–1,642 19,634–46,083 - - - - - - - 30 In May 2013, Indonesia renewed its moratorium on the conversion of forests and peatlands to concessions. The moratorium is estimated to temporarily protect 25.3 gigatonnes of carbon Austin et al., 2012. A number of other forestry programmes are also contributing to mitigation Box 9; such as the Lao–German Protection through Avoided Deforestation Project and Myanmar’s Dry Zone Greening Programme. The latter was first initiated in 1994 and aims to plant 1.5 billion trees on 1.5 million ha of land in 13 districts by 2016. The Myanmar Government reported that 117,414 ha of land in the dry zone were reforested from 1994 to 2006, the most recent year that data was submitted to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification IRIN, 2011. 33 33 See www.irinnews.orgreport94201myanmar-deforestation-threatens-breadbasket. Box 8: ASEAN’s Common Position on REDD In 2008, ASEAN nations issued a Common Position declaration on REDD that encompasses five points: 1. Due to lack of historical data, reference emission levels should be left open to approaches that are most suitable and effective based on the national capacity of member States. 2. Policy approaches and readiness activities should be open to a range of mitigation activities, including reducing deforestation and forest degradation, sustainable forest management, conservation and enhancement of carbon stocks, depending on the circumstances and capacity and the circumstances of the country. 3. Market-based, fund-based and other positive incentives should be used, depending on country readiness. 4. Readiness activities under other related financial support, such as the Climate Investment Fund and the Forest Investment Programme, should be expanded to include improved forest management, conservation and enhancement of carbon stock through sustainable forest management. 5. Annex 1 countries should support capacity building, technology transfer, improvement of infrastructure and exchange of knowledge in developing countries. Box 9: Peat forests and climate change Peat forests are an ancient and unique ecosystem, characterized by waterlogged forests growing on a layer of dead plant material up to 20 m thick, with low levels of nutrients and acidic soils. This harsh environment has led to the evolution of many species of flora uniquely adapted to these conditions. Peat soils provide a range of ecosystem services, such as regulating water flow, reducing the impact of floods, hydrating soils during droughts and are an important carbon sink UNDP, 2006. The conversion and degradation of peatlands for agriculture development is a major concern for climate change mitigation because peat soils contain large amounts of stored carbon Murdiyarso et al., 2009. Peat forests depend on a naturally high water level that prevents the soil from drying out. Drainage of the soil exposes peat matter to the air, causing it to decompose and release CO 2 into the atmosphere. The drained peat is highly flammable. Peat fires are a recurrent problem, and once started, are extremely difficult to extinguish. Smoke and smog from peat fires causes serious health problems, transport disruption and economic losses. In the past ten years, approximately 9 million ha of peatlands in the region have been burned or drained, releasing between 4 and 7 petagrams of carbon into the atmosphere Page et al., 2002. Peat forests are estimated to account for 25 percent of deforestation in Southeast Asia Hooijer et al., 2006. As much as 20 percent of all Malaysian palm oil is produced on drained peat soils; in Sarawak, the figure may be as high as 44 percent. From 2000 to 2010, peat forests decreased by 55 percent in Sarawak and by 40 percent in Riau and Jambi Miettinen et al., 2011. An estimated 20 million tonnes of CO 2 is released into the atmosphere from the 510,000 ha of peat soils drained for palm oil production in Malaysia each year SarVision, 2011. 31

3.3.3 Social forestry and climate change mitigation