Scope of Pinus roxburghii plantation as an emission reduction and livelihood upliftment project

All the member countries are accountable to Kyoto protocol to reduce the Green house gases (GHGS) as compensative measure for lessening environmental problem. The protocol has two sets two of major strategies to cope up with the problems. First strategy is to take the domestic action which deals with the replacement of fossil fuel by renewable domestic energy. The second strategy is to implement flexible mechanisms. These mechanisms are (a) Joint Implementation which deals with trading of project based carbon credit, (b) Emission trading that describes about market based trading of emission among developed nations. (c) Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). Among there, CDM has been serving with afforestation and reforestation (AR) project and sustainable development in developing countries (UNFCCC, 1992).

Many Asian countries have been benefited by the implementation of CDM support projects. Those countries are India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China etc. The status of support by CDM in Nepal is restricted in small town in Butwal. This supported project is only concentrated on alternative energy. Till now, there is no forest based project which is immense concern of CDM fund. 

It is a great opportunity for a nation to step to the CDM support in forestry based project. This has become the major concerns for environmentalist in Nepal. It is equally important to find out the potential area of fund utilizations. Most of the Asian countries have been working under CDM stream line. It is tried to find out the area to utilize the CDM support. 

Nepal is a mountainous country. Many parts of the country are remote and under developed, Also, Nepal has been divided into 4 physiographic zone i.e. High Himal (23%), High mountains (20%), Middle mountains (30%), Terai and Siwaliks (27%), About 86% of Nepal's total land area is covered by hills and high mountains and the remaining 14% by flat lands of the Terai (<300 m in elevation) (Amatya, Dr. S.M., 2002).

Pinus roxburghii is one of the species that mostly found in Siwalik and mid hills and some are also found high mountains. It is found from East to west of Nepal but only difference is that in western part, mainly pure pine forest is found where as in eastern part, mixed pine forest is found (Jackson, J.K. 1994). Although Pinus roxburghii is found in siwallik and mid hills but the coverage area is not enough in terms of number of trees. And also, the forest is deforested day by day so forest land is degrading. Thus, GHGs is increasing and ultimately it results climate change in mountainous, hilly area mostly. As a result environmental problems are occurring.

Why Pinus roxburghii plantation is one of the alternative option for GHGs emission reduction project? 

It is by far the most widely planted forest tree in Nepal. In 1981 and 1982, 57% of all tree planted by the community forestry development project were P. roxburghii (J. G. Campbell and Bhattarai, 1983a); this proportion was reduced to 46 % in 1983, but was still four times as great as that of the next commonest species planted (Community Forestry Development Project ,1984).

The main reason for this preponderance is that it is one of the few species which can be raised in small nurseries under less than optimum conditions. The very widespread use of P. roxburghii has, indeed, been often criticized, as it is of no value for fodder and is regarded in many places as an indifferent fuel. However no species has so far been bound that will perform as well under community forestry conditions. One of its most important functions is as a pioneer species; once it is established other species more valuable for fuel and fodder regenerate naturally between the trees and may eventually in some cases from the most valuable part of the forest crop. Also a number of fodder species which have failed on exposed sites in the open have succeeded when planted under the shelter of Pinus species. 

Ministry of Forest and Soil Conservation has also focused Pinus roxburghii as commercially planted species for commercial forest plantation (Amatya, Dr S M, 2002). The mean annual increment of Stem wood is equivalent to about 43/ha, though this may be expected to increase the trees grow larger. In India, according to Howard (1941), the mean annual increment of quality I natural P. roxburghii culminates at slightly under 133/ha, at about 50 years of age, including the yields from thinning. Hence, it shows that P. roxburghii forest, in Nepal, is not sufficient (Jackson, J.K.,1994). The reason is that there are ineffective, degraded, denuded hills. These all are the consequences of environmental problem. It ultimately effects in livelihood of hilly people. That is why, Pinus roxburghii plantation is the most appropriate project for both GHS emission reduction project and livelihood promotion project for maximum utilization of the CDM fund.

Livelihood and Pinus roxburghii plantation

Pinus roxburghil forest is one of multipurpose plant which is found more than 35 district in Nepal . The timber\, leaf needle, cone, resin of Pinus roxburghii the major product. There products are utilized by people for their livelihoods also. Resin collection, nowadays, is one of major source of economic development of country, livelihood promotion of the rural people. 

Our country, Nepal, is one of the developing country. And poverty is the major problem in Nepal due to environmental degradation especially in Himalayan and hilly areas. According to Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the major goal is to reduce global poverty with 50% by 2015 comparative to 2000. Also, the Tenth fifth year plan of Government of Nepal, has taken motive to promote the livelihood standards by doing poverty reduction, Pinus roxburghii produces a very valuable resin, used in the manufacture of turpentine oil, rosin and other products. Hence resin taping project (industry) helps to promote the rural livelihood. In the hilly regions, resin taping is the best alternative as livelihood promotion. It is estimated that, from resin taping, nearly 12000-15000 people have been involved directly which is 0.8 percent of people of below poverty line of Nepal. Besides these, 45000 people have been involved indirectly in resin taping, transportation etc. It is reported that out of 75 districts, 50000- 60000 Metric ton Resin could be collected from 40 districts (MFSC, 2061). Hence, resin collection could provide useful source of income for the local people, and export revenue nearly Rs 12 crores could be collected for the country. One of the literatures has showed that one labor who cut rill and collect resin could earn Rs. 30000/- in 8 months of a year. This quoted figures exceeds by 30 percent of the average annual per capita income in Nepal. Resin collection and transportation also create employment opportunity of 10 lakhs labour day per year. Hence, it supports in local economy. 

To collect 1000 metric ton resin, 163 seasonal staffs are required. And for transportation, 25000 labor day are involved directly. Besides these, 18 permanent/direct and 10indirect staffs i.e. altogether 28 staffs are involved in processing process of resin at factory (Surya Chemicals, 2062). This reflects that resin tapping creates maximum possibilities of employment opportunity. It helps rural people to enhance their socioeconomic i.e. health, education status.

Rationale of CDM fund

Kyoto protocol is an agreement made on under the conference on climate change in Kyoto, Japan, in 1997 . The 1997 Kyoto protocol of United Nation Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is a key step towards the mitigation of climate change due to increased greenhouse gases accumulation in atmosphere. It is the first international agreement, which legally binds, developed nation to reduce worldwide emission of greenhouse gases from these countries. The Kyoto Protocol, which was established for emission reduction target, states that the industrialized countries can achieve relatively inexpensive means of combating climate change (Bruce, 1999). As a step towards this goal, different countries adopted the Kyoto protocol in December 1997. The Kyoto agreement encourages rich nations (Annex-1 countries) to cut greenhouse gas emission by an average of 5.2% below their 1990 levels by 2008-2012 (for many countries, such as the EU members states, this corresponds to some 15% below their expected GHG emissions in 2008) . Reduction target expires in 2013. European Union (EU) has published climate change related road map on 064/10/9 in which it is committed that GHGs emission would be cut with 20% by 2020 (Kantipur FM 96.2) Governments are separated into two general countries: developed countries, referred to as Annex 1 countries (who have accepted GHG emission reduction obligations) and developing countries, referred to as Non-Annex 1 countries (who have no GHG emission reduction obligations) 

Kyoto includes "Flexible mechanisms" which allow Annex 1 economies to meet their GHG targets by purchasing GHG emission reductions from elsewhere. These can bought either from financial exchanges (such the new EU Emissions Trading scheme) or from projects which reduce  emission in non Annex 1 economics under the clean Development Mechanism (CDM) , or in other Amex-1 counties under the Joint Implementation (JI).

Kyoto mechanisms under the Kyoto protocol are based on the protocol's system for the accounting of targets. Under this system, the amount to which an Annex 1 party (with a commitment inscribed in Annex B of the Kyoto protocol) must reduce its emission are the five years commitment period (known as it's "assigned amount") is divided into units each equal to one ton of CO₂ equivalent (www.unfccc.int). 

CDMs allow governments or private entities in rich countries to set up emission reduction projects in developing countries. They get credit for these reductions as "certified emission reductions (CERs)". This system is different from the joint implementation as it promotes sustainable development on developing countries. 

The CDM arose out of the negotiations of the Kyoto protocol in 1997. The prime aim of this protocol is to preserve the world from global warming, to reduce the GHG emission and the air pollution. The CDM is meant to benefit both industrial countries and developing countries like Nepal.  For industrial countries, the CDM will provide access to emission reduction credits based on GHG abatement projects undertaken in developing countries where the cost of reducing emissions might be considerably lower than the costs of comparable reductions at home. The CDM provides developing countries with opportunities to become active participants in international efforts to curb GHG emissions. 

The dual goals of the CDM are to promote sustainable development in developing countries, and to allow industrialized countries to earn emissions credits from their investments in emissions - reducing projects in developing countries. 

To prevent industrialized countries from making unlimited use of CDM, Article 6.1(d) has a provision that use of CDM be 'supplemental' to domestic actions to reduce emissions. The CDM gained momentum in 2005 after the entry into force of the Kyoto Protocol. Before the protocol entered  into force; investors considered this a key risk factor. As of 28 November 2006, 421 projects had been registered by the CDM executive board as CDM projects. These projects reduce greenhouse gas emissions by an estimated 104,124,494 ton CO₂ equivalent per year. (UNFCCC, 2006) . It is reported that if community forest is included in the "Kyoto Protocol under CDM", it can regularly get certain income from the CDM. Under this mechanism, it has been clarified that the forest that has been managed through the participatory approach will get income through their carbon trading. Natural forest, which has been managed as community forest have been excluded from carbon credit (www.wwfnepal.org). According to the above argument, it supports P. roxburghii plantation project as most of the hilly region forest falls under community forest. 

In the global scale, Nepalese GHG emission seems negligible. CO₂ is the main contributor for global warning. Nepalese energy consumption is mainly fulfilled from fuelwood ie. 75.78% and as the consequences, deforestation practice is augmented haphazardly throughout the nation . As a result, store house of carbon is being distorted and GHG emission is increasing by 20 percent (MFSC, 2007). 

Recent study reported that pollution elicited by more than 200 Nepalese is equal to pollution elicited by one American. It was bound that only 0.025% GHG emission falls under the regime of Nepal. The amount GHG emission by Nepal is low in comparision to others but the effect of climate change in which annual minimum temperature is being increased by 0.006% is seen in Nepal too (MFSC, 2007) . USA, the biggest contributor to GHG emission and Kyoto Protocol defined clearly the reduction of GHG emission of European union by 8%, USA by 7%, Japan by 6%, Australia by 8%, Iceland by 10%. 

Conclusion

"Facing climate change: Climate change in mountain areas" was the slogan of 11th December 2007 of the Ministry of Forest and Soil Conservation on the occasion of Fifth International Mountain Day 2007. To ensure the above slogan, P. roxburghii  afforestation/reforestation project is the most alternative GHG emission reduction and livelihood upliftment project specially in mountainous area for rationale utilization of CDM fund. 

References

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• MFSC, 2007, Buletin, December 11, 2025
• Mandal, R.A., 2007, " Scope of NTFPs Cultivation in the CF  a potential Area to use CDM Fund", Hamro Kalpbrikchha, 188, PP 23-29
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