Measuring degradation for REDD+ forest reference emission levels / forest reference levels (FREL/FRL) Julian Fox Forestry Officer (UN-REDD) Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Moving on From Experimental Approaches to Advancing National Systems for Measuring and Monitoring Forest Degradation Across Asia June, 2015, Bangkok, Thailand

1.What is FREL/FRL 2.International guidance on degradation and FREL/FRLs (UNFCCC and Carbon Fund) 3.Emerging approaches to measuring degradation in FREL/FRL 4.FAO/UN-REDD efforts on supporting countries on FREL/FRL and degradation 5.Summary Overview

What is FREL/FRL Forest Reference Level (average historic emissions) Emission Reduction (quantified impact of REDD+ actions) historic emissions Start REDD+ implementation FREL/FRL is a “benchmarks for assessing each country’s performance in implementing REDD+ activities” UN-REDD definition: FREL for activities that “reduce emissions” while FRL includes enhancements

UNFCCC guidance on degradation and FREL/FRL National Strategy or Action Plan NFMS SIS (safeguards) FREL/FRL 4/CP.15 12/CP.17 13/CP.19 + Annex 4/CP.15 11/CP.19 1/CP.16 15/CP.19 12/CP.17 12/CP.19 Decision 4/CP 15 “…transparently taking into account historic data, and adjust for national circumstances…” Decision 12/CP 17Construction guidelines (Modalities for FREL/FRL) Information guidelines (for FREL/FRL submission) Decision 13/CP 19Guidelines technical assessment + AnnexProcedure technical assessment (timing etc)

UNFCCC guidance on degradation and FREL/FRL The UNFCCC has defined 5 activities for REDD+ Which activities should a country include in the scope of the FREL/FRL? Significance of activity and associated emissions Mitigation potential, and basis for REDD+ intervention? Does the country have the technical capacity to measure the activity? When will degradation be important? High Forest, Low Deforestation (HFLD) countries Selective timber harvesting is a major activity Fuelwood removal from forests is a major activity Forest fires are prevalent

UNFCCC guidance on degradation and FREL/FRL The UNFCCC does not say which activities a country should choose, but does say that: Significant pools and/or activities should not be excluded Reasons for omitting a pool and/or activity must be provided Approaches to measuring degradation; a country needs historical activity data on degradation 1.Indirect non-spatial proxy measures. IPCC approach 1 – non spatial, use of statistics 2.Direct spatial measurement. IPCC approach 3 – spatially explicit 3.Significant, but to be included in the future (stepwise approach). Recognize that degradation is significant, but not included in FREL/FRL due to data limitations and/or technical challenges

Emerging degradation approaches: UNFCCC FREL/FRL submissions 1.Indirect non-spatial proxy measures: Guyana: Forestry Commission records on volume of timber extracted and length of skid trails combined with forest inventory in timber harvesting areas 2.Direct spatial measurement: None 3.To be included in the future (stepwise approach): Brazil, Mexico, Ecuador Further consideration Countries need to provide a definition of forest with their FREL/FRL, and this allows a definition of deforestation (forest moving to another land category) A definition of degradation may also be required, but is usually assumed to forest remaining forest, but subject to reduced carbon stock

Carbon Fund guidance on degradation and FREL/FRL FCPF Carbon Fund Methodological Framework: ER programs must include deforestation, and include degradation when emissions are more than 10% of total forest- related emissions Degradation emissions should be estimated using the best available data (“indirect methods such as survey data, proxies derived from landscape ecology, or statistical data on timber harvesting and regrowth if no direct methods are available”)

Emerging degradation approaches: FCPF Carbon Fund Submissions Indirect non-spatial proxy measures: Chile - official statistics on consumption of logs, firewood, and forest fires (although exploring spatial measurement) Republic of Congo - proxy measures for degradation from selective timber harvesting Democratic Republic of Congo - Annual Allowable Cut and timber statistics Guatemala – timber harvesting statistics (fire estimated using Landsat and ASTER) Direct spatial measurement: Nepal - high-resolution satellite imagery and ground measurements to estimate changes in forest carbon stock - Landsat, LiDAR (5%), ground measurements Vietnam - high-resolution satellite imagery and ground measurements to estimate changes in forest carbon stock - Landsat ETM+, SPOT-4 and SPOT-5 images, ground measurements To be included in the future (stepwise approach): Ghana and Peru

FAO / UN-REDD support to countries on FREL/FRL and degradation Support to countries on FREL/FRL Three sub-regional workshops on FREL/FRL that include all 17 UN-REDD member countries in Asia-Pacific for south-south knowledge sharing Country level FREL/FRL workshops in 12 UN-REDD Asia-Pacific countries. A detailed FREL/FRL roadmap is elaborated toward UNFCCC submission; – Forest definition – Scope (Activities) – Scale (National / Sub-national) – Data and Methodologies (including National Circumstance and Adjustments) Support to countries on methods for measuring degradation FAO’s remote sensing specialists are elaborating technical solutions for spatial measurement of degradation; radar; high-resolution imagery Supporting countries on practical solutions such as the use of proxies; PNG and Bhutan

Summary Countries need approaches to measure forest degradation to participate in the REDD+ mechanism (UNFCCC, carbon fund, bilateral agreements) To include degradation in a FREL/FRL, a country needs to identify historical activity data for degradation, and then needs to report against this using a consistent methodology Most FREL/FRL submissions include degradation using simple (non-spatial) proxy measures Countries lack technical capacity and sufficient quality data to include spatial information on degradation The challenge: to develop robust, simple, and affordable methods for spatially measuring degradation that can be adapted and applied by countries intending to participate in REDD+ mechanisms