Local communities

In the last months, the Government of Lao PDR received proposals from numerous private enterprises seeking to develop forest carbon projects in Laos.

A CQUniversity researcher has spent the past two and half years investigating ways to reduce carbon emissions to positively impact on climate change, while reducing poverty in developing countries.

PhD researcher Thakur Bhattarai has been looking into the impact of carbon trading on developing countries and hopes to convince governments on policies that will maintain the integrity of forests and improve the well-being of forest communities.

The Forestry Administration yesterday launched a new US$3.8 million project to conserve forests in four provinces in the Cardamom region through sustainable community forestry.

Kampong Speu, Kampong Chhnang, Pursat and Battambang provinces have been targeted because they contain forests with “globally significant biodiversity … and at the same time act as major carbon reserves”, yet face threats from logging and land concessions, according to an official summary of the project plan.

Forests are vital to the livelihoods of millions of people in developing countries, providing on average more than one-fifth of their annual income, according to data presented today at a meeting in London.