India says forests soak 10 percent emissions annually
Tue Aug 4, 2009 7:53am EDT
By Krittivas Mukherjee
NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India's forests are absorbing about 10 percent of the country's total greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) every year, the environment minister said on Tuesday.
Jairam Ramesh's announcement was India's first quantification of climate benefits from its forest cover, a move that could boost its demand for funds to fight global warming under a U.N. scheme.
Citing a new government study, he told parliament the plan was to protect and extend the forest cover beyond the present 65 million hectares, or about 20 percent of India's land. Last week, he said the government had allocated $200 million for the scheme.
"If we take the forestry cover further, then you can imagine how much green house gas emission we can absorb," he said.
India's total GHG emissions stood at 1,853 million metric tons equivalent of carbon dioxide, about 4.9 percent of global emissions in 2005, according to the World Resources Institute.
Forests soak up vast amounts of planet-warming CO2 and can act as a brake on climate change.
Under an emerging U.N. scheme called reduced emissions from deforestation and degradation, or REDD, developing nations could potentially earn billions of dollars by setting aside and rehabilitating their forests.
The valuable carbon offsets they earn could be sold to rich nations to help them meet emissions goals under the program, likely to be part of a broader climate pact from 2013.
India is also trying to expand its forest cover by another six million hectares over the next six years. (Editing by Ron Popeski)
Showing posts with label REDD. Show all posts
Showing posts with label REDD. Show all posts
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
India to assess climate gain; pump millions in forests
India to assess climate gain; pump millions in forests
Fri Jul 31, 2009 7:41pm EDT
NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India will spend some $200 million to protect its forests and will announce how much carbon emission is being captured by its green cover, the environment minister said on Friday.
Jairam Ramesh said the money would go into conserving and restoring unique vegetation, controlling forest fires and strengthening forestry infrastructure, among other goals.
"This reflects the high priority that the prime minister accords to the renewal of our forestry establishment which is critical in our climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts," he said.
Forestry forms an important part of international negotiations for a new U.N. climate change deal in December, and India says efforts to conserve and increase forest cover should be considered as vital as reducing deforestation.
Forests soak up vast amounts of planet-warming CO2 and can act as a brake on climate change.
Under an emerging U.N. scheme called reduced emissions from deforestation and degradation, or REDD, developing nations could potentially earn billions of dollars by setting aside and rehabilitating their forests.
The valuable carbon offsets they earn could be sold to rich nations to help them meet their emissions goals under the scheme that is likely to be part of a broader climate pact from 2013.
Ramesh said India would announce on August 10 the results of a study into how much emissions were being captured by India's forests. The quantification could bolster India's demand for money for afforestation efforts under REDD.
"We have for the first time estimated how much of our emission is being captured by the forest cover," he said.
About 65 million hectares, or 20 percent of India's land, is under forest cover. Ramesh said the cover would be extended by another six million hectares over the next six years.
Fri Jul 31, 2009 7:41pm EDT
NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India will spend some $200 million to protect its forests and will announce how much carbon emission is being captured by its green cover, the environment minister said on Friday.
Jairam Ramesh said the money would go into conserving and restoring unique vegetation, controlling forest fires and strengthening forestry infrastructure, among other goals.
"This reflects the high priority that the prime minister accords to the renewal of our forestry establishment which is critical in our climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts," he said.
Forestry forms an important part of international negotiations for a new U.N. climate change deal in December, and India says efforts to conserve and increase forest cover should be considered as vital as reducing deforestation.
Forests soak up vast amounts of planet-warming CO2 and can act as a brake on climate change.
Under an emerging U.N. scheme called reduced emissions from deforestation and degradation, or REDD, developing nations could potentially earn billions of dollars by setting aside and rehabilitating their forests.
The valuable carbon offsets they earn could be sold to rich nations to help them meet their emissions goals under the scheme that is likely to be part of a broader climate pact from 2013.
Ramesh said India would announce on August 10 the results of a study into how much emissions were being captured by India's forests. The quantification could bolster India's demand for money for afforestation efforts under REDD.
"We have for the first time estimated how much of our emission is being captured by the forest cover," he said.
About 65 million hectares, or 20 percent of India's land, is under forest cover. Ramesh said the cover would be extended by another six million hectares over the next six years.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Developing countries call for funds to increase forest cover
ASHOK B SHARMA
Posted online: Monday , March 10, 2008 at 0022 hrs
New Delhi, Mar 9A group of developing countries has called for financial incentives for increase in forest cover, conservation and sustainable management with a view to combat climate change.
Taking the cue from the Bali declaration on the pay-and-preserve scheme for reducing emissions from reducing deforestation in developing countries (REDD), the two-day international workshop organised by Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE) which concluded in Delhi last Saturday called for financial assistance for maintenance and stabilisation of forest resources as well as for capacity building. ICFRE is under the administrative control of the Union ministry of environment and forests.
It went a step ahead of REDD in demanding equal incentives for increase in forest cover and sustainable management and conservation of forests
The recommendations of the workshop called for compensation for reducing deforestation, conservation and sustainable management of forests. Countries should also demonstrate enhancement of carbon stock to meet the objectives of UNFCCC, it said.
As maintenance, stabilization and conservation of forest resources involve opportunity cost, the developing countries require financial assistance and incentives, the recommendations said and also called for same basket of funds for increase in forest cover and reduced deforestation and degradation as well. As similar enhancement of carbon stock imply similar value and as eco-system services have additional value, the rate of incentives should be the same for one unit of carbon saved through reduced deforestation and degradation and one unit of carbon added through conservation of forests. Evaluation of baseline carbon stock should be considered including one time payment at reduced rates, the workshop resolved.
The international workshop was organized to discuss the possible methodological approaches and modalities for assessing positive increment in forest carbon stocks due to increase in forest cover, conservation and sustainable management of forests. The workshop had participations from forest departments and forestry institutes of China, Papua New Guinea, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bhutan, Malaysia and UK apart from India.
The sole representative from Annex-1 (industrial) countries, Jim Penman of UK Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), however, opposed certain parts of the resolutions relating to financing incentives. He suggested that the conclusions of the workshop should not be termed as “resolutions” and it should be better termed as a “views expressed by different participants.” On capacity building, the workshop called for the need to develop expertise in modern technological tools to assess forest carbon pools and changes therein, financial assistance for capacity building in developing countries and sharing of facilities and resources for capacity building among developing countries.
On technological issues, the workshop suggested a common methodology for assessment of changes in forest carbon stocks, national level accounting mechanism and national reference emissions level linked to country specific baseline year or period. It also suggested remote sensing combined with field inventory as an important and cost effective toll in assessing and verifying forest carbon stocks. A blue print for national forest carbon estimation should be formulated for developing countries.
ASHOK B SHARMA
Posted online: Monday , March 10, 2008 at 0022 hrs
New Delhi, Mar 9A group of developing countries has called for financial incentives for increase in forest cover, conservation and sustainable management with a view to combat climate change.
Taking the cue from the Bali declaration on the pay-and-preserve scheme for reducing emissions from reducing deforestation in developing countries (REDD), the two-day international workshop organised by Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE) which concluded in Delhi last Saturday called for financial assistance for maintenance and stabilisation of forest resources as well as for capacity building. ICFRE is under the administrative control of the Union ministry of environment and forests.
It went a step ahead of REDD in demanding equal incentives for increase in forest cover and sustainable management and conservation of forests
The recommendations of the workshop called for compensation for reducing deforestation, conservation and sustainable management of forests. Countries should also demonstrate enhancement of carbon stock to meet the objectives of UNFCCC, it said.
As maintenance, stabilization and conservation of forest resources involve opportunity cost, the developing countries require financial assistance and incentives, the recommendations said and also called for same basket of funds for increase in forest cover and reduced deforestation and degradation as well. As similar enhancement of carbon stock imply similar value and as eco-system services have additional value, the rate of incentives should be the same for one unit of carbon saved through reduced deforestation and degradation and one unit of carbon added through conservation of forests. Evaluation of baseline carbon stock should be considered including one time payment at reduced rates, the workshop resolved.
The international workshop was organized to discuss the possible methodological approaches and modalities for assessing positive increment in forest carbon stocks due to increase in forest cover, conservation and sustainable management of forests. The workshop had participations from forest departments and forestry institutes of China, Papua New Guinea, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bhutan, Malaysia and UK apart from India.
The sole representative from Annex-1 (industrial) countries, Jim Penman of UK Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), however, opposed certain parts of the resolutions relating to financing incentives. He suggested that the conclusions of the workshop should not be termed as “resolutions” and it should be better termed as a “views expressed by different participants.” On capacity building, the workshop called for the need to develop expertise in modern technological tools to assess forest carbon pools and changes therein, financial assistance for capacity building in developing countries and sharing of facilities and resources for capacity building among developing countries.
On technological issues, the workshop suggested a common methodology for assessment of changes in forest carbon stocks, national level accounting mechanism and national reference emissions level linked to country specific baseline year or period. It also suggested remote sensing combined with field inventory as an important and cost effective toll in assessing and verifying forest carbon stocks. A blue print for national forest carbon estimation should be formulated for developing countries.
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