Local communities to get US$ 100,000 for managing forests, reducing green house gas emission.
Hard work deserves rewards. Contributions made by the local communities have finally paid off as they are going to be rewarded, for the first time in the country, for successfully increasing forest carbon stocks, which absorbe carbondioxide in atmosphare.
The communities are being rewarded through the Forest Carbon Trust Fund for managing carbon stocks in forests under the Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation Plus (REDD+), a mitigating mechanism under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
REDD+ is an effort, recognised under UNFCCC to create a financial value for the carbon stored in forests, offering incentives for developing countries by the developed countries to reduce emission and invest in low-carbon paths to sustainable development. It goes beyond deforestation and forest degradation, and includes the role of conservation, sustainable management of forests and enhancement of forest carbon stocks.
Coming Wednesday, the local communities, including indigenous and marginalised communities who are the part of the first pilot project titled “Design and setting up of a governance and payment system for Nepal’s Community Forest Management under REDD” will be handed over US$ 100,000 for successfully managing the forests and reducing green house gases emissions that contributes to climate change. Of the total reward amount, 40 percent accounts for carbon enhancement and the remaining for social inclusion and livelihoods.
The Asia Network for Sustainable Agriculture and Bioresearch, International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development and Federation of Community Forestry Users of Nepal are implementing a pilot project to prepare a new architecture REDD in the country. The four-year project (2009-2013) is being carried out in three watersheds in Chitwan, Dolakha and Gorkha since 2009.
Eak Bahadur Rana, project coordinator of ICIMOD, said cash reward is going to be provided to the local communities for the enhancement of carbon stocks and contributing in social inclusion and livelihoods between March 2010 to March 2011.
“In one year, the community forests in three watersheds increase carbon offset of carbon dioxide of 2.67 tonnes per hectare,” he said. The entire project covers about 10,266 hectares of community forest area. In voluntary market, the price per tones of carbon dioxide is between US$ 3 and 5. However, the market price can go above US$ 20 for per tones of carbon dioxide internationally.
“The pilot project on sustainable management of forests by communities aims to demonstrate the feasibility of payment mechanism in community forestry though REDD+ scheme,” said Rana.
According to Subash Devkota, executive director of FECOFUN, this is the first pilot project being carried out under the REDD+ scheme in the country.
Meanwhile, Nepal has received US $200,000 for a readiness preparation proposal under the UN’s REDD Programme and an additional $3.5 million from the World Bank.
Nepal has 15,000 community forest user groups and boasts of 24 percent of national forests under community forestry covering about 40 percent of population.
As Posted by Pragati Shahi in The kathmandu Post.
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