Climate mitigation and avoided deforestation Martina Jung Quest Workshop on Forestry and Climate Mitigation, July 2005

Forestry and the Kyoto Protocol Annex I: Mandatory: afforestation, reforestation, deforestation Voluntary: forest management, cropland and grazing land management, revegetation Non-Annex I (CDM): Only afforestation and reforestation

Forests and climate change Tropical deforestation around 25 % of global human-induced emissions in 1990‘s Not addressed in Kyoto Protocol Avoiding deforestation is more effective climate mitigation strategy than A/R (immediate effect, magnitude of emissions) Other benefits: biodiversity conservation, watershed protection etc.

Why was avoided deforestation not included in the CDM? Scale: emission reduction credits with potential to flood the market Uncertainties regarding baselines Leakage, e.g. increased deforestation outside project boundary, or at later point in time

A proposal to address tropical deforestation – the compensated reduction approach Presented at side event at COP 9 (IPAM) Discussed at post-2012 workshop in Graz, March 2005 Papua New Guinea: voiced strong support for credits from avoided deforestation at UNFCCC seminar

Compensated reduction- in a nutshell If country reduces deforestation as compared to a national deforestation baseline, certified emission reduction credits are issued (sectoral crediting mechanism)

Compensated reduction – questions to be addressed Host country liability for future emissions from deforestation Calculation of baseline (models) How to avoid that degradation is happening instead of deforestation? Inclusion would have to be considered in setting of emission targets of Annex I countries

Forestry post-2012 – brainstorming Project-based mechanisms vs. national measures/targets? Lessons to be learned from forestry projects in first commitment period/from ODA financed forestry projects? How much control do governments have over deforestation? Is forest conservation really as cheap as widely believed? Biofuels and carbon sequestration – trade offs and spill-over effects? Research needs?

Thank you!

Compensated Reduction Santilli et al. (2003) Tropical deforestation and the Kyoto Protocol: a new proposal Schlamadinger et al (2004) Should we include avoidance of deforestation in the international response to climate change? Forthcoming paper (output of Graz workshop)