Forestry and the Kyoto Protocol Key Issues Joint

Forestry and the Kyoto Protocol Key Issues Joint ECE Timber Commmittee & FAO European Forestry Commission 9. -13. 10. 2000

Contents • UNFCCC/GHG • Carbon storage • Kyoto Protocol & flexible mechanisms • Open questions • Role of FAO

UNFCCC 1992 • Concern: Global warming • Cause: Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions • Objective: Stabilization of GHG concentration in atmosphere

What are GHG? Carbon Dioxide Methane Nitrous Oxide Hydrofluor carbons Perfluorcarbons Sulphur hexafluoride (CO 2 ) (CH 4 ) (N 2 O) (HFCs) (PFCs) (SF 6 )

C-Emission Sources USA 1990 Fuel Combustion 88 % Industry 21% Transport 31% 12% Small combustion 35% Energy production

Forestry practices to slow down CO 2 accumulation in atmosphere Conservation Storage Substitution

Global carbon stocks Oceans Atmosphere Soils Vegetation 39 000 760 2 000 500 Gt Gt

Forests as carbon stocks Forests world-wide: 46% of terrestrial C Tropical forests: 37% Soils: 50%

Financial value of CDM sinks (billion US$/a) until 2020 until 2030 40– 100 (Trexler) up to 150 (World Bank)

Kyoto Protocol Co. P 3 Kyoto, 12/1997 Objective: Reduction of GHG by at least 5 % (level 1990) in 2008 -2012

Flexible mechanisms Joint implementation Clean development mechanism Emission trading

CDM • Assist dev. countries (Non-Annex 1) • Annex I countries buy emission reductions achieved elsewhere meet ind. emission commitments

Conditions for flexible mechanisms Voluntary Additional Baseline No leakage

Open questions Definitions Accounting/methods Activities to be included in CDM Administration of sinks

Definitions Forests & ARD Degradation Biological sources/sinks Additionality Leakage

Accounting and methods • Baselines • Standards • C-balances • Measuring and accounting • Timeframe

Presently uncertain Forests as sinks Forest management Impact of fires Sinks in products (C-substitution)

Administration of sinks Verification M&E Certification Sanctions Financing, responsibility Linkages to other conventions

Synergies of Conventions Biodiversity (CBD) Desertification (CCC) Wetlands (Ramsar)

IPCC- Special Report on Land use Change and Forestry submitted at SBSTA 12 in June 2000

Role of FAO • Repository of data • Information and advice • Custodian of methods, models • Neutral forum

KP – Train is moving · World Business Council · GEF · WB Prototype Carbon Fund · Private initiatives