REDD AND CARBON MECHANISMS

The cover image is a photograph showing extensive illegal logging and deforestation, which has destroyed
many archaeo logical sites around the world, 2008 image courtesy of Google Earth Pro
OVERVIEW
Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) is an effort to
create a financial value for the carbon stored in forests, offering incentives for
developing countries to reduce emissions from forested lands and invest in low-carbon
paths to sustainable development. According to United nation’s REDD (Reducing
emission from deforestation and forest degradation) program, deforestation and forest
degradation, through agricultural expansion, conversion to pastureland, infrastructu re
development, destructive logging, fires etc., account for nearly 20% of global
greenhouse gas emissions, more than the entire global transportation sector and second
only to the energy sector. It is now clear that in order to constrain the impacts of
climate change within limits that society will reasonably be able to tolerate, the global
average temperatures must be stabilized within two degrees Celsius. This will be
practically impossible to achieve without reducing emissions from the forest sector, in
addition to other mitigation actions.

(REDD+ includes deforestation and forest degradation, along with conservation,

sustainable management of forests and enhancement of forest carbon stocks.)

SCIENTIFIC BACKGROUND
Plants absorb carbon dioxide and use it to grow (carbon sequestration) by the process of
photosynthesis, but when they decay or burn; carbon dioxide is released again into the
atmosphere from where it was taken. Decaying plants also produce methane, a greenhouse gas
more potent than carbon dioxide (21 times more potent than of C02). So deforestation and
forest degradation are two times more damaging, because greenhouse gases are released into
the atmosphere through forest fires, or using the cut trees as firewood, while at the same time
the number of carbon dioxide absorbing trees are reduced.

Tropical forests cover about 15% of the world’s land surface and contain about 25% of the
carbon in the terrestrial biosphere. But they are being rapidly degraded and deforested
resulting in the emission of heat-trapping carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. Roughly 13 million
hectares are converted to other land uses each year. This loss accounts for a fifth of global
carbon emissions, making land cover change the second largest contributor to global warming.
Forests therefore play a vital role in any initiative to combat climate change.
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN D EFORESTATION AND D EGRADATION OF
FOREST
 Deforestation: this involves a decrease in the area covered by forest. However, it
cannot be so defined without adding a reference to its use (or allocation). In point of
fact, there exist certain forms of forest utilization - and priority objectives of forest
management - that clear temporarily the forest cover while guaranteeing its
maintenance. This is the case of clear cutting of areas where forest will regenerate
itself or be regenerated, or of the final cut in an even-aged forest silvicultural
treatment once natural regeneration has been assured. In other words, there is no
deforestation if there is a guarantee of continuity in maintaining the forest cover .

 Degradation: this does not involve a reduction of the forest area, but rather a quality
decrease in its condition, this being related to one or a number of different forest
ecosystem components (vegetation layer, fauna, soil, etc.), to the interactions
between these components, and more generally to its functioning.

CDM AND REDD

Till now REDD program is not incorporated under the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM).
Discussions are on and some decision is expected in the Mexico COP16.

CARBON FINANCE FOR REDD

The issue of how REDD is to be funded is the next area of controversy. Three main
mechanisms are proposed for financing REDD

1. carbon trading

2. Fund

3. Both (1) and (2)

Only a market-based approach with REDD credits will generate enough money to
incentivise forest protection but financing REDD through carbon trading would mean
that the developed countries can delay effective action to stop the burning of fossil fuels
by offsetting its emissions with carbon stored in forests. Trading forest carbon allows
pollution to continue somewhere else. The result is no reduction in emissions. If the
measurements of carbon stored are inaccurate, or if deforestation is stopped in one area
but increases somewhere else as a result (described as “leakage” in carbon mechanism),
then the emissions will be increased by the activity seeking the offset and by the
deforestation. If financed through carbon trading, REDD will create world’s biggest
loophole – effectively allowing industry to continue polluting.

The World Bank’s main mechanism for promoting REDD is a new scheme, launched in
Bali in 2007: the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF). Under the FCPF, countries
produced R-PINs (Readiness Plan Idea Notes). The Bank has accepted 25 of these R -
PINs and these countries are now producing R-Plans (Readiness Plans) which provide
the framework for REDD in these countries. The World Bank is also financing three
REDD-type projects through its Bio-Carbon Fund (REDD Monitor organization).

VOLUNTARY CARBON STANDARDS AND REDD

There are a series of voluntary carbon standards to certify the REDD project activity
including the Climate, Community and Biodiversity Alliance (CCBA).

A/R CDM methodologies and tools can used to calculate green house gas emission
reduction and also it would help in demonstration and assessment of additionality but
with certain limitations.

This REDD Methodology Framework (REDD-MF) provides guidance for constructing

methodologies for REDD project activities compliant with the validation and verification
requirements of the VCS. REDD methodology can be constructed based on a set of pre-
defined VCS-approved modules. The resulting methodology will be VCS-approved
without the requirement of a methodology validation.

REFERENCES
http://www.un-redd.org/AboutREDD/tabid/582/Default.aspx

http://www.cbd.int/

http://www.fao.org/docrep/article/wfc/xii/ms12a-e.htm

http://www.redd-monitor.org
ABOUT U S
Agneya Carbon Ventures came into existence with the purpose of “To help our clients in
understanding, establishing sound Environment Management Systems, and pursuing
sustainable business solutions through our various services to abate direct and indirect
impact on ecological balance.”

We have worked with companies across sectors enabling them to create carbon
accounting, monitoring and reporting systems. We have expertise in the areas of carbon
accounting and management, energy management systems, voluntary/compliance
carbon markets, environment management and sustainability and carbon branding.

Equipped with in-depth understanding of the Clean Development Mechanism

methodologies specific to forestry, we can assist you in developing your
Afforestation/Reforestation projects right from identifying proper land for the project
to registering the project at the Executive Board post validation.

To know more about us, please visit http://www.agneya.in

To schedule a meeting or a discussion with us, do reach us on

Kedar: +91-9665407848 – kedar@agneya.in

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