REDD+ & Sustainable Timber Production in Congo Basin

This post will be citing important information I had read in CIFOR blog, something that I need to know and understand. 

The article was introducing the new project in Congo Basin to support scientific evidence prove sustainable timber production in forest could increase carbon stocks, which is needed to reduce GHG emission that contribute to global warming. 

As sustainable timber harvesting (or logging) proved help limiting deforestation, however increase the overall carbon stocks and reduce GHG gas emission has not been well understood. The research shall be carry out by monitoring carbon stocks in different areas, identifying the most effective sustainable timber harvesting that can contributes to projects that reduce emissions from deforestation and degradation, such as REDD.

Congo Basin Forest is the largest tract (area) of rainforest in the world, over 40% of its 200 million hectares being allocated for commercial timber production, yet only 2 % (4.5 million hectares) are regulated under the international forest certification schemes.

And understanding more about REDD+, this give a better view of how developing countries and investor could go wrong with REDD+

Without strict regulations to protect the 25-30 million tonnes of carbon locked its forests, those countries signed up to REDD+ –a mechanism that places a monetary value on the carbon stored in trees– could lose their share in the USD$1.25 trillion expected from compensation payments.

This three year project will also to analyze the impacts of sustainable timber production in the forest concession areas and then compare them to other land use management:  protected areas, communities forestry, livestock production and un-manage exploited forest.

The study shall also contributes to gain wider timber production practices (harvesting guidelines), and see if the standards set by forest certification schemes could be compatible with REDD+ standards and safeguards.

Stated in the referred article, why sustainable timber production hardly associate with REDD+,

At a recent conference in Cameroon to highlight the FORAFAMA project, many participants voiced concerns that it may be too early to integrate sustainable timber forest management practices with REDD+, especially as “international standards had not been set, and REDD+ is still a national, voluntary project”, said Alain Karsenty of the French research organisation CIRAD.

Similar challenges was observed how to combine both sustainable timber production and conserve biodiversity. The project will come to the end in 2013. More information about the project can be refer here.

 

 *Picture for illustration purposes, not related to this post*