Introduction to the Pilot Lower Zambezi REDD+ Project (LZRP) FCMC Africa Regional Training Workshop Social and Environmental Considerations in REDD+ and Related Natural Resource Management Programs 03 February 2015 SITE VISIT: 04 February 2015

Outline Background Problem statement LZRP Project Model USAID/CFP Risks

Problem Statement Tropical deforestation contributes ~15% of human emissions/year 42,000 km sq. deforested in Africa annually! (4.2 m ha)

Zambia: Deforestation 4 th highest forested country in Africa UN-REDD: highest deforestation amount/year Global top 5 deforestation amount Global top 10 per capita deforestation emissions Drivers

What is the LZRP? Pilot / Demonstration Launched in ,000 HA REDD+ on Private Land Credits not generated on customary forests Investing in community livelihoods on adjacent community land

What is the LZRP? Over 30 community projects supported 80,000 project zone $1.2 million ‘zero - verification’ ($30/ha) VCS verification, CCBA “Triple Gold”

Who is BioCarbon Partners (BCP)? Social Enterprise Mission driven African-based Zambian registered Senior management based in Zambia 1 st pilot REDD+ project in Zambia

Benefits & Sharing 1,200 hh’s (~9,000) ~80,000 ha 33,000 VCUs sold (6%) 25% of VERs, 33% tourism & fundraising USAID/CFP Livelihoods BCP Trust Via ZDCs Diversification

LZRP - Safeguards Stakeholder Identification – 20km buffer FPIC consultations with communities prior to launching activities: Over 90% approval of over 75% stakeholders Census, Baseline Survey – 2012 Stakeholder Needs Assessments (> 50) 4 zones, 28 villages On-going Sensitization and Consultation In-depth Engagement SOPs developed CCBA “Triple Gold”

Core Activities Land Management Biodiversity Monitoring Verification GRZ Engagement Community Livelihoods – Long-term model to sustainably address drivers of deforestation

Core Activity 1: Livelihood Improvement Incentives & alternatives Diversification Community Bio- enterprises Social Services Performance-based contracts/covenants “Connecting the Dots”

Community Livelihoods Activities Over 450 beneficiaries -Over 1,300 hectares community land under improved management

Core Activity 2: Conservation Job Creation Community Capacity Building Collaboration with FD, ZAWA Local governance institutions

Community-based biomass & soil measurements GIS/RS to show rate of historical deforestation Independent Validation / Verification against International Standards (VCS, CCB) Core Activity 3: Forest Carbon Science

Low demand, voluntary market PES diversification Partnerships Sustainable conservation financing (BCPT) Core Activity 4: Market Creation

Jurisdictional REDD+ Community tenure Benefit distribution FD, ZAWA Core Activity 5: GRZ Engagement / Policy

What is the Community Forests Program (CFP)? USAID funded – 5 years 700,000 ha of forests verified 2-3 million ha impacted 1-2 million mtCO2e reduced annually 10,000 households out of poverty Conservation enterprises strengthened

LZRP in the context of the CFP

Risks $$ High transaction costs Complicated Implementation Alternatives/incentives address local drivers of deforestation Liquidity: flooded markets? Risky investment Land tenure, political, social

Acknowledgements USAID/Zambia Forestry Department Inter-ministerial Climate Change Secretariat Traditional Authorities GRZ: ZAWA and District Councils Partners