Prioritising social and economic objectives alongside environmental concerns is crucial in forest management, says Cambridge researcher at the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity.
Prioritising social and economic objectives alongside environmental concerns is crucial in forest management, says Cambridge researcher at the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity.
Despite best efforts, trade-offs will remain between carbon, biodiversity and social and economic costs. This can be a problem but it can also be an opportunity.
Dr Bhaskar Vira
Dr Bhaskar Vira, senior lecturer at the University of Cambridge’s Department of Geography, presented new findings on the relationship between biodiversity, forest management and potential REDD+ activities at the United Nations (UN) Convention on Biological Diversity on 16 October 2012. The UN-REDD Programme is a collaborative initiative aimed at reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries.
The new assessment – which was carried out by a Global Forest Expert Panel on Biodiversity, Forest Management and REDD+ – highlights the need to prioritise social and economic objectives alongside environmental concerns to increase the likelihood of more equitable and efficient outcomes to forest management.
Ongoing conversion of forests to agriculture is still a major cause of global biodiversity loss on earth. Deforestation is also the second largest source of carbon dioxide emissions induced by humans, after fossil fuel emissions. However, forests provide essential ecosystem services to people, such as food, fuel and fibre, and help regulate global climate and water.
The new assessment found that inadequate recognition of tenure and management rights often excludes the poor and most vulnerable groups from access, benefits and decision-making authority in forests. Furthermore, the assessment suggests that outcomes will largely depend upon how well new initiatives under REDD+ are able to learn from past institutional and governance lessons in the forestry sector.
Vira, one of six lead authors on the assessment, said: “The challenge should not be underestimated. REDD+ uses one policy to achieve three or four major sustainable development goals. Despite best efforts, trade-offs will remain between carbon, biodiversity and social and economic costs. This can be a problem but it can also be an opportunity: pursuing social goals can improve effectiveness in achieving environmental goals as local communities get more involved in a project.”
The Global Forest Expert Panel is coordinated by the Vienna-based International Union of Forest Research Organizations. With input from more than 50 leading scientists from around the world, it constitutes the first comprehensive analysis to date of the relationship between biodiversity, forest management and REDD+.
A full report will formally be presented on the occasion of the next UN climate convention meeting from 26 November to 7 December 2012 in Doha, Qatar.
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