Environment, Carbon and Forests

By Johann Hari, The Nation, 4 March 2010 | Some of the failing green groups can be reformed from within. The Sierra Club is a democratic organization, with the leadership appointed by its members. There are signs that members are beginning to put the organization right after the missteps of the past few years. Carl Pope is being replaced by Mike Brune, formerly of the Rainforest Action Network--a group much more aligned with the radical demands of the climate science. But other organizations--like Conservation International and TNC--seem incapable of internal reform and simply need to be shunned. They are not part of the environmental movement: they are polluter-funded leeches sucking on the flesh of environmentalism, leaving it weaker and depleted.

By Johann Hari, The Nation, 4 March 2010 | Some of the failing green groups can be reformed from within. The Sierra Club is a democratic organization, with the leadership appointed by its members. There are signs that members are beginning to put the organization right after the missteps of the past few years. Carl Pope is being replaced by Mike Brune, formerly of the Rainforest Action Network--a group much more aligned with the radical demands of the climate science. But other organizations--like Conservation International and TNC--seem incapable of internal reform and simply need to be shunned. They are not part of the environmental movement: they are polluter-funded leeches sucking on the flesh of environmentalism, leaving it weaker and depleted.

By Dr Clive Thomas, Stabroek News, 7 March 2010 | For the same assessment period as the global study (1990-2005), the FAO reports that Guyana has had no change in its net forest cover. More specifically, the LCDS reports that Guyana’s forest cover remains in excess of 15 million acres, roughly the same as in 1990. The LCDS goes on to attribute this to the systematic pursuit of sustainable forest management practices. From what I know of Guyana and what I have also read about its forests, I remain deeply sceptical of this claim. Rather I believe that this might well be an instance of the many weaknesses in the national data, from which the FAO’s global and regional estimates are compiled. Proof of this concern is seen in the varied indications of Guyana’s total forest cover. These can be found across specialist publications on the subject of Guyana’s forests, and just as frequently within the same publication, as is the case with the LCDS.

Kaieteur News, 7 March 2010 | At the request of Ban ki-Moon, the United Nations Secretary General, President Bharrat Jagdeo will join his British, Ethiopian and Norwegian counterparts to mobilise US$100 billion in annual finance for developing countries’ efforts to combat climate change. The establishment of the advisory group builds on the Copenhagen Accord, which was agreed by most of the world’s countries at December’s climate change conference in the Danish capital. UK Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, said that the group would take on “the task that I believe is the most important we face – combating climate change by ensuring that the poorest countries have the finance necessary to do so. “If we can resolve this problem then I believe many of the other challenges of climate change can also be solved.”

EarthCollective, 1 March 2010 | Last but not least, Silvia Weel – one of Living Lands’ and EarthCollective’s founding members – has returned after taking six months out to pursue a job opportunity in Brazil. This time away was a valuable learning experience for Silvia and, amongst other activities, she had an opportunity to understand the dynamics of deforestation in the Amazon Forest first-hand as well as getting the chance to present the case for REDD (avoided deforestation) at the Copenhagen Climate Summit last December. Whilst Silvia’s former role with Living Lands was as geo-spatial analyst (with a focus on remote sensing), Silvia’s focus will now be oriented more toward wildlife management and conservation in close cooperation with local partners. “My time away was valuable and I learnt many new things including that the working environment here with Living Lands is special and something I am very grateful to again be a part of.”

GHG Emissions Trading, 6 March 2010 | A forest fire burning near Dunedin is highlighting the risk of natural disasters to carbon which run into millions of dollars, Carbon News reports. Wenita Forest Products, which owns the 700ha of forest which has been burning most of the week, has registered under the Emissions Trading Scheme, but has not yet claimed credits. If it had, it would be liable for the carbon lost in the fire, according to Carbon News, the country’s specialist news service on the carbon markets.

GHG Emissions Trading, 6 March 2010 | A forest fire burning near Dunedin is highlighting the risk of natural disasters to carbon which run into millions of dollars, Carbon News reports. Wenita Forest Products, which owns the 700ha of forest which has been burning most of the week, has registered under the Emissions Trading Scheme, but has not yet claimed credits. If it had, it would be liable for the carbon lost in the fire, according to Carbon News, the country’s specialist news service on the carbon markets.

Climate-L.org, 5 March 2010 | The International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) have published a policy brief summarizing the main findings of five workshops that aimed to promote a multi-sectoral dialogue among countries on improving forest law compliance. The brief highlights lessons learned from experiences on the ground and sets out the key elements of an approach to forest law compliance and governance that will ensure the optimal role of forests in mitigating climate change. [R-M: The report is available here: http://bit.ly/bXRkNZ]

Climate-L.org, 5 March 2010 | The International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) have published a policy brief summarizing the main findings of five workshops that aimed to promote a multi-sectoral dialogue among countries on improving forest law compliance. The brief highlights lessons learned from experiences on the ground and sets out the key elements of an approach to forest law compliance and governance that will ensure the optimal role of forests in mitigating climate change. [R-M: The report is available here: http://bit.ly/bXRkNZ]

By Margot Roosevelt, Los Angeles Times, 5 March 2010 | The United States and Brazil signed a memorandum of understanding to work together to slash greenhouse gas emissions from tropical deforestation, one of the main drivers of global climate change. The deal, signed by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton in Brasilia on Wednesday, marks the first time the two countries have formally agreed to work together on deforestation. In the past, Brazilian leaders have been wary of foreign interference in the Amazon, Earth's largest tropical forest. But climate scientists are raising loud alarms that the slashing and burning of forests, which cause about 15% of the emissions that are trapping heat in the atmosphere, threatens to dangerously disrupt the world's climate.

By Margot Roosevelt, Los Angeles Times, 5 March 2010 | The United States and Brazil signed a memorandum of understanding to work together to slash greenhouse gas emissions from tropical deforestation, one of the main drivers of global climate change. The deal, signed by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton in Brasilia on Wednesday, marks the first time the two countries have formally agreed to work together on deforestation. In the past, Brazilian leaders have been wary of foreign interference in the Amazon, Earth's largest tropical forest. But climate scientists are raising loud alarms that the slashing and burning of forests, which cause about 15% of the emissions that are trapping heat in the atmosphere, threatens to dangerously disrupt the world's climate.

PRWEB, 9 March 2010 | How will the Carbon markets evolve? the Carbon Markets 2010, meeting on 6-7 May 2010 in Singapore offers clarity on key issues influencing the global carbon marketplace, its effects on carbon trade and CDM. top Carbon experts from BNP Paribas, Bloomberg & more will share views on the reality & drivers of the global carbon market. Attend to pinpoint strategies to combat current market uncertainties over Post- 2012!

mongabay.com, 7 March 2010 | The agreement is significant because the two countries have been somewhat at odds over how a scheme to reduce emissions from deforestation would work. In the early stages, Brazil balked at the prospect of allowing rich, industrialized countries off the hook via REDD without reducing their own emissions, instead proposing an aid-based approach embodied in the $21 billion Amazon Fund, which was announced in 2008.

mongabay.com, 7 March 2010 | The agreement is significant because the two countries have been somewhat at odds over how a scheme to reduce emissions from deforestation would work. In the early stages, Brazil balked at the prospect of allowing rich, industrialized countries off the hook via REDD without reducing their own emissions, instead proposing an aid-based approach embodied in the $21 billion Amazon Fund, which was announced in 2008.

Foreign Policy Association: Job Board, March 2010 | Organization: Global Witness, Location: Guyana (Georgetown). Global Witness seeks a Policy Advisor to be located in Guyana on a short-term, extendable contract basis in support of our work on governance, monitoring and transparency in the forest sector, including initiatives for reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD) that are currently underway in Guyana.

Orangutan Foundation International Blog, 4 March 2010 | Bill Law investigates the causes and consequences of the great global land grab, as richer nations and multinational corporations acquire vast tracts of land in developing countries. Bill weighs up the pros and cons of Indonesia’s palm oil revolution. The country leads the world in palm oil production and the world is hungry for it; check any food label and as likely as not palm oil will turn up as one of the ingredients. Low-cost, high-yield palm oil has transformed Indonesia creating wealth and a new middle class. But in the process, it has carved up huge swathes of rainforest: http://bit.ly/bi10bp

By Mustaqim Adamrah, Jakarta Post, 5 March 2010 | "There's an EU directive. The Netherlands has promised to help us, firstly, to understand the EU directive and help us meet the criteria stipulated in the EU directive," Indonesian Trade Minister Mari Elka Pangestu said Thursday following the 20th session of the mixed commission on bilateral economic cooperation between Indonesia and the Netherlands... Apart from the EU directive, Forestry Ministry head of research and development Tachrir Fathoni had earlier said his ministry was drafting a decree to allow oil palm plantations in the forest sector. He said the policy, believed not to lead to massive forest conversion, was part of Indonesia's attempt to comply with international standards in mitigating climate change and to "anticipate" the implementation of the scheme to reduce emissions from deforestation and degradation (REDD).

It’s Getting Hot In Here, 5 March 2010 | David Scott - I am a member of the Sierra Club board of directors. My comments are my own... As for petitioning EPA to make a 350 ppm level legally binding, the author notes that we’re already at 390 ppm. Susan Solomon and others have documented that carbon dioxide lingers in the atmosphere for centuries. I don’t question for one second that environmental groups need to tell the truth about the science — including Hansen’s urgent warnings about tipping points... The question is “By when?” If anyone has laid out a scientifically and politically feasible path to actually reducing levels to 350 ppm in the foreseeable future — a way to effect that drastic change in not only the US, but China — I have yet to see that. In the near term, holding levels to 450 ppm will take a herculean effort. I wish that weren’t true, but it is. I’d rather invest time and effort in getting actual cuts than in petitions that are dead on arrival.

By Peter Gelling, New York Times, 4 March 2010 | For decades, the vast jungle interior that blankets the northern Indonesian province of Aceh provided a haven for thousands of rebel foot soldiers fighting a war of independence. Now, still marginalized and largely unemployed despite nearly five years of peace, many former separatists have fled back into the forest, this time to chop it down. “I spoke to an old rebel captain recently, and I asked him why he continued to illegally log Aceh’s forests,” said Mohammad Nur Djuli, head of the Aceh Reintegration Body, an organization set up by the provincial government in 2006 to help former combatants rejoin society. “He said, ‘O.K., you feed my 200 men and I’ll throw this chain saw into the river.’ What can I say to that?” A government program, called Aceh Green, hopes to provide an answer.

By Peter A Minang, Deborah Murphy, ASB Publications, 2010 | The Copenhagen Climate Change Conference in December 2010 has been referred to as both a success and failure, although almost everyone agrees that the result was far less than most had hoped for. The substantial outcome was the Copenhagen Accord. The accord does not impose binding emission targets or set a deadline for forming an internationally binding treaty, but progress was made in many areas, particularly relating to Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation (REDD-Plus) and the role of reducing emissions from agriculture, forestry, and other land uses (AFOLU). This paper analyses the COP15 outcomes on REDD-plus and AFOLU and assesses key areas for moving ahead with REDD implementation. [R-M: The report is available here: http://bit.ly/aqqsca]