REDD+ Activities in Laos Sithong Thongmanivong
Faculty of Forestry
National University of Laos
Workshop on Land Cover Land Use Change in South East Asia
Hanoi, 7-9 November 2011
21.02.2012
Outline of Presentation
1. Overview LULCC in Laos
2. Brief on REDD+ framework
3. FCPF and other related REDD+ project
4. Forest investment program
Overview on LULCC in Laos
Causes of deforestation and degradation of forest
The conversion of forest area to:
Agriculture land (including shifting cultivation)
Land concession for cash crop, industrial tree, rubber
plantation…..
Dams, mining
Infrastructure ( Road, electricity transmission line…)
Improper logging
Forest fire
Changing of Forest Management
Implementation of forest
strategies 2020
National land use zoning
Conservation forest 4.7 million ha
Protection forest 6.6 million ha
Production forest 3.6 million ha
Perspectives on REDD+
REDD+ will support the achievement of National Forest Strategy
Source of financial resources, contributing towards poverty alleviation and providing alternatives to shifting cultivators
Creating incentives for rural communities in the management of forest resources
REDD Activities in Laos Laos expressed its interest for REDD+
Submitted R-PIN to FCPF and approved
The implementation of REDD+ decided for nested approach
National strategies and institutional arrangement is being
developed
Related laws and regulations are being revised and plan to
make amendment soon
Components of a National REDD+ System
National REDD+
Institutions
Forest Law Enforcement
and
Management
Sub-National REDD+
Projects
REDD+
Readiness
Process
Complete
REDD+
System
1. Bilateral Projects
2. NGO Projects
3. Private Project Developers
Strengthen
Existing
Departments
Central REDD+
Framework Concept
Institutional Setup
Regulatory Setup
REL
Safeguards
Mitigation Activities
MRV
Registry
Payments & Markets
Benefit Sharing
National Framework Components
Roadmap for Core Concepts in REDD Policy
Flow of Major Processes
REDD+ Funding
Cycle
Emission Reductions
Measured Reductions below REL
Sale of Credits / Certificates of Performance
Mitigation Activities
Benefit Sharing
REL
Safeguards
Regulatory Setup
Institutional Setup
Payments & Markets
Registry
MRV
Roadmap for Core Concepts in REDD Policy
Provincial REDD+ Office
Regulatory Setup
Detailed of Processes
REL
Safeguards
Mitigation Activities
MRV
Registry
Payments & Markets
Benefit Sharing
REDD+ Office
(In Approval Process)
REDD+ Technical Working Groups (TWG)
TWG: Legal Framework
TWG: REL
TWG: Ethnic Group and Community Participation
TWG: Enforcement and Implementation of Mitigation
TWG: Land Use
TWG: Benefit Sharing
1
2
3
4
TORs
Input and Guidance
Technical Regulations
and Guidelines
National Framework Regulation
TWG: MRV
REDD+ Task Force National
Environment Council
Institutional Setup
(In Institutional Approval Process)
REDD+ Policy Development – Towards Building a Business Friendly REDD+ Regulatory Framework
21.02.2012
REDD+
Reference
Emission
Levels
Monitoring,
Reporting and
Verification
Benefit Sharing
Mechanisms
Financing National Carbon
Accounting
System
Lao P.D.R REDD+ Readiness Process
Avoiding
Deforestation
Avoiding
Degradation
Enhancement of
Forest Carbon
Stocks
Sustainable
Management of
Forests
Conserving
Forest Stocks
DOFI / DOF
DAFI / DAFO
POFI / PAFO Lao P.D.R. REDD+ System and Institutions
UN Framework Convention on Climate Change
REDD+ Projects on the ground
Forest Law Enforcement and
Management
REDD+ Policy Development – Towards Building a Business Friendly REDD+ Regulatory Framework
Institutional Arrangements
National Environment
Council
Minister/Vice Minister Level
Policy decision making body
REDD Task Force
DG/DDG level multi-sector
incl. Province, private sector
and CSO representatives
Co-ordination/consultation
REDD OFFICE Division Level Executive implementation
Technical
Working Group
Technical
Working Group
Technical
Working Group
Technical
Working Group
Technical
Working Group
MAF MONRE
National REDD+ Taskforce • Designated by Minister for
Agri. & For.
• Housed in DoF – Chaired by DG, DoF
– DDG is representative of the chair
– Deputy of the Chair: DG, Department of Land Management
• Others members: – DDG of DoE, WREA
– DDG of DOFI, MAF
– DDG of NAFRI, MAF
– Director of Research Division, FoF, NUoL
– DDG of Mining Department
– DDG of Electricity Department
– DDG of Law Department,
– DDG of Planning Dep., MPI
– Director of Inter.nal, Finance Cooperation Division, MoF
– Representative from Lao Front for Construction
– Representative from Lao Women Union
– Representative from Lao national Chamber of Industry and Com.
REDD Projects
FCPF program of the World Bank
Pilot REDD+ projects have been initiated, supporting from
developed countries – Climate Protection through avoided Deforestation (CliPAD) initiating REDD
project in two National Conservation Areas
– Participatory Land and Forest Management Project for Reducing Deforestation in Lao PDR (PAREDD) aiming at protected forest areas in Luangprabang
– SUFORD at the Production forest
Some are under studies by different international organizations
Grassroot capacity building by NUOL, NAFES and RECOFTC
Research on I-REDD, NUoL with international partners
REDD + Pilot Projects
SNV
CliPad
PAREDD
WWF
SUFORD
WCS?
Forest Carbon Partnership Facility
Establish series workshops and consultation
Local level
National level
Expert consultation
Readiness Preparation Proposal submitted and approved
in late 2010
Still awaiting for financial support from WB for
implementation
Private Sector Companies Interested
The following companies expressed their interest in REDD+
1. Stora Enso – IFC : Feasibility stage
2. Oji Paper: Feasibility complete
3. Arcadia: Feasibility ongoing
4. New Chip Xeng: Pre-feasibility
5. Prime Invest: Pre-feasibility
6. Indochina Resort Group: Express Interest with Project Idea
7. Green Planet JSC: Expression of Interest
8. Vang Veuan Trading export-import: Express interest in REDD+ or CDM
9. Kyoto Energy: Expression of Interest
Forest Investment Program (FIP)
Laos is one of eight pilot countries
FIP investment plan is in progress – Granted of US$227,900 for development of IP
– Forming the team for IP development
– Final draft approved by government and submitted
Linking FIP and FS2020
The components of the FIP Lao
Investment Plan have been developed to dovetail with the FS2020 target to attain 70% forest
cover in the country
Linking FIP and FS2020
To be able to attain the 70% forest cover target of FS2020, existing forests of the
country must be protected from deforestation and degradation and the forest areas rehabilitated to increase
forest cover
REDD+ with FIP support
The rationale:
Linking FIP and FS2020
State forest areas
Production Forest Areas
(3.15 M ha)
Conservation Forest Areas
(2.64 M ha)
Protection Forest Areas
(4.41 M ha)
Forest areas outside state forest areas
Village Forests
(1.56 M ha)
Industrial Tree Plantations
(0.50 M ha)
Smallholder Woodlots
(<0.50 M ha)
Forest areas of Lao PDR
Components of FIP-LIP
1. Participatory, sustainable management of state forest areas
• Production Forest Areas
• Conservation Forest Areas
• (Watershed) Protection Forest Areas
2. Village forestry
3. Smallholder forestry including link to ITP development
4. Crosscutting themes
• Legal framework, especially for REDD+
• Forest governance, especially in DOF for forest management and DOFI for law enforcement
• Other aspects, e.g. MRV, benefit sharing, knowledge management, etc.
Issues
The development of REDD+ is slow processes and
still uncertainty
Knowledge and technical capacity of institutions is
diverse and highly rely up on external support
Demanding of remote sensing data to support REDD+
activities.
Conclusion
1. REDD+ in Laos still in the early stage
2. Redd, the new incentive mechanism will play important role
in forest management in Laos
3. Pilot project is implementing in advance the national REDD+
development
4. Roles and responsibilities of concern agencies is in the
process of developing and restructuring
5. Capacity building on remote sensing application is highly
demand
Thank You