Transcript Folie 1

A NEW CLIMATE DEAL –
and the critical role of forests
Gerald Steindlegger
WWF International
Manager Forest Programme
wwf.panda.org/forests
XIIIth World Forestry Congress
Buenos Aires, October 2009
The year 2009 will be remembered as the year of
the financial crises, right?
Wrong, we hope.
2009 needs to be remembered as the year the world
found an answer to climate change
The world‘s financial and climate crises have a
common cause: living beyound our means.
“The financial crisis is a result of our living beyond
our financial means. The climate crisis is a result of
our living beyond our planet’s means.”
Yvo de Boer,
Executive Secretary of the United Nations Climate Convention
Droughts, floods, hurricans, food insecurity….
Climate Change already happens.
Scientists say, we should keep global warming well
below 2°C.
We must cut emissions of Greenhouse Gases by at
least 80 percent by 2050 compared to 1990 level.
The World has a duty to act.
There is no time to waste.
The good news is….
We can do it.
Six key tasks that have to be agreed
upon at the Copenhagen meeting:
o Rich countries to set strong binding emission reduction
targets – 40 per cent below 1990 levels by 2020.
o Funds and technology cooperation must be established
to support the implementation of low-carbon economies
in the developing world.
o With the appropriate needs-based support, developing
countries should commit to emissions 30 per cent
lower by 2020 than those they are currently projecting.
Six key tasks that have to be agreed
upon at the Copenhagen meeting:
o Actions by developing countries should include the
halting of forest destruction and its concomitant
emissions.
o Rich nations need to leverage support to help the most
vulnerable countries, communities and ecosystems, which
are hardest hit by climate change, and finance their
adaptation work.
o All countries need to agree that global greenhouse gas
emissions must be at least 80 per cent below 1990
levels by 2050.
Copenhagen has to do better than Kyoto
The critical role of forests
Deforestation and Forest Degradation contribute up
to 20 % of total global greenhouse gas emission
WWF‘s position on REDD:
o REDD included. All governments should support the
inclusion of a REDD mechanism within a post-2012 UN
climate treaty.
o A Global objective is needed. Countries should commit
to reducing gross forest –based GHG emissions by at
least 75% by 2020.
o Financing commitments by industrialized countries.
Fast start financing of approx $6 bn public funding for the
period 2010 to 2012 to launch REDD. Longer term
funding annually to be in order of $40 bn year.
WWF‘s position on REDD:
o Natural forests protection prioritized. REDD+ in addition
or in support of REDD but not instead of it.
o Strong safeguards to benefit biodiversity, eco-system
services, local communities and indigenous people need
to be addressed in the treaty.
o MRV systems (Monitoring, Reporting, Verification on emission reduction) and
mechanisms for reviewing national baselines and
financing need to be approved by UNFCCC.
WWF‘s position on REDD - a 3 phased
national level approach:
PLANNING (Phase 1)
o Stakeholder engagement processes established
o National government authority identified
o Plan to acquire capability to meet reporting
requirements (MRV)
o Approved National REDD plan including assessment of
drivers of deforestation.
WWF‘s position on REDD - a 3 phased
national level approach:
PREPARING (Phase 2)
o Full MRV capability
o Authentic and documented engagement of stakeholders
o Testing framework (MRV,engagement, improved
capacity through pilot activities at the sub-national and
national level
o Approval of framework and institutional readiness by
appropriate international body designated by the
convention.
WWF‘s position on REDD - a 3 phased
national level approach:
EXECUTING (Phase 3)
o Full functioning REDD authority to verify emission
reductions
o Fully-functioning MRV capability operationalized with
assessments of deforestation and forest degradation.
Assessments independently verified and transparent.
o Fully-functioning dispute or conflict resolution capacity
established.
tck tck tck…
“It is irresponsible, reckless and deeply immoral
to question the seriousness of the situation we
are in. The time of diagnosis is over. Now is the
time to act…”
Gro Harlem Brundtland
Special Envoy for the Secretary General of the
United Nations Climate Convention