Previous to 2006, Zambia had few dependable nationwide estimates of its forests. However an built-in land-use evaluation (ILUA I) from 2005-2008 supplied the nation with a priceless and dependable snapshot of the scale, species, well being, worth and carbon content material of its forests. Now Zambia is initiating a second survey (ILUA II). This time the outcomes will provide greater than a snapshot – they’ll present proof of progress. Zambia is utilizing the ILUA I information as a baseline towards which it will probably present how numerous points of its forests have modified. ILUA II incorporates measuring, reporting and verification (MRV) necessities for greenhouse fuel emissions from forests. MRV is required for international locations to take part in REDD+, a local weather change initiative that gives monetary incentives to creating international locations to guard forests, thereby sustaining their capability to retailer and sequester carbon. Having MRV as a part of ILUA II, due to this fact, will facilitate Zambia’s participation in REDD+.
Forests have the capability to sequester and retailer huge quantities of carbon – in timber, floor litter and the soil. When forests are destroyed or degraded, or transformed for an additional use, they emit sequestered carbon into the environment as a greenhouse fuel, contributing to local weather change. Making certain the sustainable administration of forests is essential to international local weather change adaptation and mitigation efforts.
Since 1990, Zambia has misplaced over 13 % of its forest cowl, generally as a lot as 300 000 hectares a yr – among the many highest deforestation charges on this planet. One of many most important causes of that is poverty. Poor individuals are typically compelled to chop forests with a view to have area to plant crops for meals, or they use timber to make timber or charcoal that they want for family use or to promote for earnings. In 2010, Zambia, supported by FAO, took a preliminary step in direction of turning into a associate within the UN Collaborative Programme on Decreasing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Creating Nations (UN-REDD). The Programme is now supporting international locations getting ready nationwide REDD+ methods – the “+” being conservation and enhancement of carbon shares, and sustainable administration of forests. REDD+ methods purpose at creating an incentive for creating international locations to guard, higher handle and correctly use their forest assets, contributing to the worldwide combat towards local weather change. REDD+ builds monitoring techniques, engages stakeholders and assesses a number of advantages of forests. By making a monetary worth for the carbon saved in timber, REDD+ goals to tip the stability in favour of sustainable administration of forests in order that their environmental and social items and companies profit international locations, communities, biodiversity and forest customers whereas additionally contributing to vital reductions in greenhouse fuel emissions.
Surveys set baseline, measure progress in Zambia
Beginning in 2005, FAO labored with the Zambian Authorities in conducting its first nationwide forest survey for the reason that Sixties. That survey, an built-in land-use evaluation (ILUA I), had a broad scope, enabling it to arrange a baseline for long-term land use and forest monitoring on the nationwide stage. 9 groups assessed 250 everlasting pattern plots throughout the nation, with the federal government offering employees and automobiles, and FAO offering technical experience.
The stakes are increased for Zambia’s second land-use evaluation survey, ILUA II. With ILUA I because the baseline, the follow-up will present modifications in land use and canopy over time, and show the viability of Zambia’s MRV system in computing forest-based greenhouse fuel emissions – two essential necessities of REDD+. Once more, FAO has supplied the technical help within the design of ILUA II, with the intention of assessing roughly 4 000 sampling websites throughout Zambia with educated groups with a view to meet REDD+ necessities.
With ILUA I, Zambia has been in a position to strengthen its construction for long-term monitoring, and synchronized it with different actions associated to REDD+. With ILUA II, Zambia will be capable of present how a lot carbon it has really sequestered, permitting it to participate in no matter REDD+ scheme will probably be determined sooner or later.
ILUA II contains socio-economic and family information
ILUA II goes past REDD+ MRV necessities. It incorporates a cross-sectoral aspect that features gathering socio-economic information from forest communities. Along with measuring tree diameters and heights, and figuring out pests and different forest threats, the ILUA II survey groups additionally will collect information from households and forest-user teams in communities.
Having baseline information on communities’ quality-of-life offers a extra full understanding of the advantages that forests carry – corresponding to medication and gas, and supporting cultural traditions – which regularly don’t present up in GDP. ILUA II additionally contains problems with tenure and user-rights, which have to be monitored over time to make sure they’re protected.
Such a data will probably be used to tell potential safeguard measures and data techniques that would, in return, assist be sure that the rights of communities are revered in any performance-based funds for lowering deforestation. For Zambia, the socio-economic information will increase understanding of the place degradation is happening and why, and of how ladies and men are affected in another way by native pure useful resource administration insurance policies. It will give policy-makers the type of data they’ll use to develop particular and ample insurance policies that enhance the administration of Zambia’s forests, whereas additionally making certain that native livelihoods are strengthened.
