CHALLENGE

Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD) has been singled out as a promising way to cut the rate of carbon emissions, and contribute to mitigating climate change. But much of the focus has been on the first “D”. In countries with high forest cover, weak governance structures, and active concession forestry (where the challenge of measurement and enforcement will be the greatest), there may be opportunities through Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) certification, for inciting the private sector to contribute to more sustainable and less degrading concession practices that generate REDD benefits.

RESULTS

This knowledge activity explored the policy, legal and financial measures necessary to develop a carbon payment mechanism that generates incentives for concession holders to undertake practices (such as reduced-impact logging) that contribute to REDD. 

It also analyzed how forest certification can be integrated into concession rules as a means of accounting for and measuring improvements to forest degradation and related carbon emissions.

CHALLENGE

Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD) has been singled out as a promising way to cut the rate of carbon emissions, and contribute to mitigating climate change. But much of the focus has been on the first “D”. In countries with high forest cover, weak governance structures, and active concession forestry (where the challenge of measurement and enforcement will be the greatest), there may be opportunities through Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) certification, for inciting the private sector to contribute to more sustainable and less degrading concession practices that generate REDD benefits.

RESULTS

This knowledge activity explored the policy, legal and financial measures necessary to develop a carbon payment mechanism that generates incentives for concession holders to undertake practices (such as reduced-impact logging) that contribute to REDD. 

It also analyzed how forest certification can be integrated into concession rules as a means of accounting for and measuring improvements to forest degradation and related carbon emissions.

CHALLENGE

Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD) has been singled out as a promising way to cut the rate of carbon emissions, and contribute to mitigating climate change. But much of the focus has been on the first “D”. In countries with high forest cover, weak governance structures, and active concession forestry (where the challenge of measurement and enforcement will be the greatest), there may be opportunities through Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) certification, for inciting the private sector to contribute to more sustainable and less degrading concession practices that generate REDD benefits.

RESULTS

This knowledge activity explored the policy, legal and financial measures necessary to develop a carbon payment mechanism that generates incentives for concession holders to undertake practices (such as reduced-impact logging) that contribute to REDD. 

It also analyzed how forest certification can be integrated into concession rules as a means of accounting for and measuring improvements to forest degradation and related carbon emissions.

CHALLENGE

Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD) has been singled out as a promising way to cut the rate of carbon emissions, and contribute to mitigating climate change. But much of the focus has been on the first “D”. In countries with high forest cover, weak governance structures, and active concession forestry (where the challenge of measurement and enforcement will be the greatest), there may be opportunities through Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) certification, for inciting the private sector to contribute to more sustainable and less degrading concession practices that generate REDD benefits.

RESULTS

This knowledge activity explored the policy, legal and financial measures necessary to develop a carbon payment mechanism that generates incentives for concession holders to undertake practices (such as reduced-impact logging) that contribute to REDD. 

It also analyzed how forest certification can be integrated into concession rules as a means of accounting for and measuring improvements to forest degradation and related carbon emissions.

CHALLENGE

Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD) has been singled out as a promising way to cut the rate of carbon emissions, and contribute to mitigating climate change. But much of the focus has been on the first “D”. In countries with high forest cover, weak governance structures, and active concession forestry (where the challenge of measurement and enforcement will be the greatest), there may be opportunities through Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) certification, for inciting the private sector to contribute to more sustainable and less degrading concession practices that generate REDD benefits.

RESULTS

This knowledge activity explored the policy, legal and financial measures necessary to develop a carbon payment mechanism that generates incentives for concession holders to undertake practices (such as reduced-impact logging) that contribute to REDD. 

It also analyzed how forest certification can be integrated into concession rules as a means of accounting for and measuring improvements to forest degradation and related carbon emissions.

CHALLENGE

A benefit-sharing mechanism among relevant stakeholders defines who will receive benefits, in what form they will be received (i.e., monetary or non-monetary benefits) and when they will be received. Establishing well-functioning mechanisms is important for providing effective incentives to participants for undertaking - or refraining from - specified actions. In other words, benefit-sharing mechanisms fundamentally determine how stakeholders contribute to resource management; sustainability; and the way desirable development outcomes are generated, distributed and reinvested. While establishing effective and equitable benefit-sharing mechanisms in the forest sector is clearly important, it has been a severe challenge in many countries, especially in those countries that lack the institutional and legal foundation to secure land, forest and carbon rights, or who fail to identify and provide proper incentives for sustainable forest management.

APPROACH

The major objective of this activity is to develop country roadmaps for benefit-sharing arrangements using PROFOR’s Options Assessment Framework, which employs a participatory approach to analyze and improve benefit-sharing arrangements. This technical assistance initially aimed to target three countries in Latin America, Africa and East Asia. 

RESULTS

The activity was successfully developed and implemented in close cooperation with CONAFOR, the key agency responsible for overseeing the REDD+ program in Mexico. Key milestones achieved include:

- Preparing and revising the initial country background report to accommodate comments from the World Bank, the PROFOR team and CONAFOR; 

- Adapting the PROFOR tool to fit the context of Mexico's REDD+ progress and focus;

- Hosting a webinar in order to receive feedback on the content of the country report; 

- Revising the country background report to accommodate comments from the webinar from actors involved in the REDD+ process in Mexico, such as federal and state government, NGOs, and academia;

- Holding a regional workshop focused on the core scoring exercise of the tool. The workshop took place in Merida, Yucatan, Mexico given its status as an Early REDD+ Action Area. The national workshop in Mexico City, Mexico then discussed, validated and refined the results from the regional workshop, with a policy-oriented angle. The project was later presented as a forum session at the World Forestry Congress in Durban in September 2015.

The activity as a whole is a roadmap to guide Mexico in the establishment of an appropriate benefit sharing mechanism for REDD+. Please see the final project report at left for details. 

In parallel, Uganda is being explored as a possible second country.

CHALLENGE

A benefit-sharing mechanism among relevant stakeholders defines who will receive benefits, in what form they will be received (i.e., monetary or non-monetary benefits) and when they will be received. Establishing well-functioning mechanisms is important for providing effective incentives to participants for undertaking - or refraining from - specified actions. In other words, benefit-sharing mechanisms fundamentally determine how stakeholders contribute to resource management; sustainability; and the way desirable development outcomes are generated, distributed and reinvested. While establishing effective and equitable benefit-sharing mechanisms in the forest sector is clearly important, it has been a severe challenge in many countries, especially in those countries that lack the institutional and legal foundation to secure land, forest and carbon rights, or who fail to identify and provide proper incentives for sustainable forest management.

APPROACH

The major objective of this activity is to develop country roadmaps for benefit-sharing arrangements using PROFOR’s Options Assessment Framework, which employs a participatory approach to analyze and improve benefit-sharing arrangements. This technical assistance initially aimed to target three countries in Latin America, Africa and East Asia. 

RESULTS

The activity was successfully developed and implemented in close cooperation with CONAFOR, the key agency responsible for overseeing the REDD+ program in Mexico. Key milestones achieved include:

- Preparing and revising the initial country background report to accommodate comments from the World Bank, the PROFOR team and CONAFOR; 

- Adapting the PROFOR tool to fit the context of Mexico's REDD+ progress and focus;

- Hosting a webinar in order to receive feedback on the content of the country report; 

- Revising the country background report to accommodate comments from the webinar from actors involved in the REDD+ process in Mexico, such as federal and state government, NGOs, and academia;

- Holding a regional workshop focused on the core scoring exercise of the tool. The workshop took place in Merida, Yucatan, Mexico given its status as an Early REDD+ Action Area. The national workshop in Mexico City, Mexico then discussed, validated and refined the results from the regional workshop, with a policy-oriented angle. The project was later presented as a forum session at the World Forestry Congress in Durban in September 2015.

The activity as a whole is a roadmap to guide Mexico in the establishment of an appropriate benefit sharing mechanism for REDD+. Please see the final project report at left for details. 

In parallel, Uganda is being explored as a possible second country.

CHALLENGE

A benefit-sharing mechanism among relevant stakeholders defines who will receive benefits, in what form they will be received (i.e., monetary or non-monetary benefits) and when they will be received. Establishing well-functioning mechanisms is important for providing effective incentives to participants for undertaking - or refraining from - specified actions. In other words, benefit-sharing mechanisms fundamentally determine how stakeholders contribute to resource management; sustainability; and the way desirable development outcomes are generated, distributed and reinvested. While establishing effective and equitable benefit-sharing mechanisms in the forest sector is clearly important, it has been a severe challenge in many countries, especially in those countries that lack the institutional and legal foundation to secure land, forest and carbon rights, or who fail to identify and provide proper incentives for sustainable forest management.

APPROACH

The major objective of this activity is to develop country roadmaps for benefit-sharing arrangements using PROFOR’s Options Assessment Framework, which employs a participatory approach to analyze and improve benefit-sharing arrangements. This technical assistance initially aimed to target three countries in Latin America, Africa and East Asia. 

RESULTS

The activity was successfully developed and implemented in close cooperation with CONAFOR, the key agency responsible for overseeing the REDD+ program in Mexico. Key milestones achieved include:

- Preparing and revising the initial country background report to accommodate comments from the World Bank, the PROFOR team and CONAFOR; 

- Adapting the PROFOR tool to fit the context of Mexico's REDD+ progress and focus;

- Hosting a webinar in order to receive feedback on the content of the country report; 

- Revising the country background report to accommodate comments from the webinar from actors involved in the REDD+ process in Mexico, such as federal and state government, NGOs, and academia;

- Holding a regional workshop focused on the core scoring exercise of the tool. The workshop took place in Merida, Yucatan, Mexico given its status as an Early REDD+ Action Area. The national workshop in Mexico City, Mexico then discussed, validated and refined the results from the regional workshop, with a policy-oriented angle. The project was later presented as a forum session at the World Forestry Congress in Durban in September 2015.

The activity as a whole is a roadmap to guide Mexico in the establishment of an appropriate benefit sharing mechanism for REDD+. Please see the final project report at left for details. 

In parallel, Uganda is being explored as a possible second country.

CHALLENGE

A benefit-sharing mechanism among relevant stakeholders defines who will receive benefits, in what form they will be received (i.e., monetary or non-monetary benefits) and when they will be received. Establishing well-functioning mechanisms is important for providing effective incentives to participants for undertaking - or refraining from - specified actions. In other words, benefit-sharing mechanisms fundamentally determine how stakeholders contribute to resource management; sustainability; and the way desirable development outcomes are generated, distributed and reinvested. While establishing effective and equitable benefit-sharing mechanisms in the forest sector is clearly important, it has been a severe challenge in many countries, especially in those countries that lack the institutional and legal foundation to secure land, forest and carbon rights, or who fail to identify and provide proper incentives for sustainable forest management.

APPROACH

The major objective of this activity is to develop country roadmaps for benefit-sharing arrangements using PROFOR’s Options Assessment Framework, which employs a participatory approach to analyze and improve benefit-sharing arrangements. This technical assistance initially aimed to target three countries in Latin America, Africa and East Asia. 

RESULTS

The activity was successfully developed and implemented in close cooperation with CONAFOR, the key agency responsible for overseeing the REDD+ program in Mexico. Key milestones achieved include:

- Preparing and revising the initial country background report to accommodate comments from the World Bank, the PROFOR team and CONAFOR; 

- Adapting the PROFOR tool to fit the context of Mexico's REDD+ progress and focus;

- Hosting a webinar in order to receive feedback on the content of the country report; 

- Revising the country background report to accommodate comments from the webinar from actors involved in the REDD+ process in Mexico, such as federal and state government, NGOs, and academia;

- Holding a regional workshop focused on the core scoring exercise of the tool. The workshop took place in Merida, Yucatan, Mexico given its status as an Early REDD+ Action Area. The national workshop in Mexico City, Mexico then discussed, validated and refined the results from the regional workshop, with a policy-oriented angle. The project was later presented as a forum session at the World Forestry Congress in Durban in September 2015.

The activity as a whole is a roadmap to guide Mexico in the establishment of an appropriate benefit sharing mechanism for REDD+. Please see the final project report at left for details. 

In parallel, Uganda is being explored as a possible second country.

Building basic models of forest supply

CHALLENGE

China's forestry sector is in the process of transformation. A pattern of forest depletion has been reversed in China and replaced by the world's largest afforestation process. Centralized command and control of the sector is yielding to various forms of private, localized and frequently highly autonomous management arrangements. China is increasingly integrated into the world wood economy, becoming in a period of less than 10 years one of the world's largest importers of wood and wood products and an increasingly important exporter (and re-exporter) of wood products including pulp, paper and furniture.

Managing forest policy for this increasingly complex, sophisticated and market-driven sector is placing new challenges on Government authorities, which are increasingly hard pressed to ensure that reforms continue and succeed in environmental, economic and social terms. In particular, capacity to conduct modern economic analysis of possible policy reforms and initiatives with China, and within the State Forestry Administration (SFA) is seriously limited. The sector has been judged to be seriously lagging behind other sectors in such critical economic reform areas as taxation, regulation, land tenure and enterprise reform. As a result, there is a risk that future reforms will not be based on well-reasoned analysis. The Forest Economics Development Research Center (FEDRC) recognizes that it is stretched beyond its ability to provide the SFA and others quality economic analysis and has identified supply analysis as an area of particular capacity building need.

APPROACH

Building on the skills and interests of FEDRC, PROFOR helped provide well-justified advice and perspective on the impacts of alternative policy reforms and initiatives on the supply of forest goods and services, and helped institutionalize a stronger, collaborative and modern policy analysis capacity within the sector and the SFA.

This knowledge activity explored timber and forest supply from major components of the Chinese forestry sector (e.g. geographic regions and management arrangements, such as small farmer, communes and state forest farms) in relation to alternative policy and institutional options. Particularly important policy questions included timber and enterprise taxation, land tenure and regulatory and transport policies. A series of reports, studies and workshops for national and international audiences resulted, with recommendations for Chinese forest policy reforms related to topics such as timber taxation, licensing and regulation and land tenure.