FORESTS REPORT CANCUN –TUESDAY 7th DECEMBER
from the Ecosystems Climate Alliance
REDD report for Tuesday (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation)
Outlook: Not so fast. Rumors that REDD is nearly resolved are premature. Countries still disagree on two main issues:
Safeguards: There is still no clear commitment to implement safeguards -- the social governance, and broader environmental outcomes for potential REDD projects -- to protect natural forests and secure the rights of Indigenous Peoples.
· Finance: How much emphasis will be placed on markets – is also unresolved.
ECA hears that there will be changes in the text before it goes to ministers. Whether we will see that text is unknown.
Quote from Nils Hermann Ranum, Rainforest Foundation Norway: “A strong REDD agreement is essential for wider success in Cancun. But deforestation will not decrease and the rights of Indigenous peoples will not be protected without a clear commitment for mandatory implementation of safeguards.”
Question for journalists in country briefings: What are the blocks on making it mandatory to protect natural forests and Indigenous peoples rights in REDD projects?
Today’s REDD activities (see “AWG-LCA, 1b(iii) of the Bali Action Plan” in Daily Programme): None, and none yesterday. Bilateral discussions in the corridors.
LULUCF Report for Tuesday (Land use, Land-use change and Forestry under the Kyoto Protocol)
Outlook: Deadlock looms following a blow-up in yesterday’s closed-door session. New rules on accounting for logging emissions in developed countries will probably not be agreed. Tuvalu, in particular, is refusing to be blackmailed by developed countries into having bad rules with low environmental integrity. The most basic policy question -- whether to account for logging against historic emissions or build in emissions loopholes – is still unresolved and will be referred to ministers.
Quote from Peg Putt, The Wilderness Society: “Drama triggered by the intransigence of developed countries on getting their way has stalled LULUCF again, and there it is quite likely that no new rules will be agreed unless ministers can make a breakthrough.
Quote from Susanna Tol, Wetlands International: “This deadlock continues to delay a decision to allow countries to reduce real and huge emissions from other land uses, including from drained peatlands. There were strong hopes that yesterday’s meeting would agree on accounting for peatlands. So far this mitigation opportunity seems wasted.”
Question for journalists in country briefings: Are ministers prepared to go back to basic principles in LULUCF and set a policy framework based on reducing logging emissions, no loopholes, and accounting more comprehensively across the landscape?
Today’s LULUCF activities (see AWG-KP in the Daily Programme): “Spin-off group on Chapter II”, 16:30-18:00 in Tortuga (Azteca).
The Ecosystems Climate Alliance is comprised of forest and climate experts from ten NGOs committed to keeping natural terrestrial ecosystems intact and their carbon out of the atmosphere. We are available for interviews and background at the third blue table to the right of the Azteca entrance, underneath the up escalator outside Sol.
CONTACT: Don Lehr / Cancun 998 204 1849
+1 917 304 4058 / dblehr@cs.com