The forest sector must form a central part of post-Kyoto Protocol discussions and be used to lever carbon trading markets, a panel of experts said this week.
The forest’s role in future climate change discussions and emissions trading schemes was outlined by a quartet of international voices at the launch of a new book, Climate Change and Forests: Emerging Policy and Market Opportunities, at Chatham House.
Charlotte Streck, director of Climate Focus; Eveline Trines, director of Treeness Consult; Jan Fehse, principal consultant at EcoSecurities; and Monique Miller, senior associate at Australia’s Macquarie Bank, all gave their views on the different factors impacting the development of policy and markets linked to the forest sector.
They said the forest sector must be the backbone of commitments to tackle climate change.
Ms Trines warned that any post-2012 resolution must include forests as part of emission reduction targets, and not as an offset mechanism, while Mr Fehse said the sector still had work to do to overcome the historically bad reputation derived from “ferocious” attacks by NGOs and environmental lobbyists.
“The challenge now is shedding this stigma and educating those ignorant views,” said Mr Fehse.
“Forestry is inherently a good thing to do with many benefits.”
Ms Streck advised a nested approach for the development of the international forest sector, combining national and sub-national schemes. Mixed levels of management and funding will help drive policy development and enhance the forests economic importance, she said.
The panel discussion was held the day before Johan Eliasch, Gordon Brown’s special representative on deforestation, published his review recommending international support to help protect rainforests.
