Dr. J V Sharma IFS

REDD Plus is a financial incentive mechanism for reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation, plus signifying positive elements of conservation, SFM, and enhancing carbon stock through afforestation & reforestation, with the potential of sustaining livelihood of Forest Dependent Communities (FDCs), maintenance of ecosystem services and biodiversity conservation with safeguards of people living in and around forests (their rights, governance, and sustainable livelihood).

India has 1210 million human population (2011 census) [population density 382 per sq. km up from 264 in 1991 & 325 in 2011]

464 million livestock (excluding Poultry). 21.8% population is below poverty line and more than

273 million people have dependence on forests for their livelihood and some for subsistence needs

Forest cover is 21.05% & Tree Outside Forests is 2.76% of GA.

In spite of vast pressure - forest cover has stabilized for last decade

Total Growing Stock both in forests and TOF is 6047.158 Million M3 (4498.427 M M3 Forests & 1548.427 M M3 TOF)

Conservation Oriented Forest Management Under NFP 1988 India has strong legal regime – Indian Forest Act,1927; Forest Conservation Act,1980; Wild Life Protection Act,1972; Forest Right Act, 2006; Environment Protection act,1986; Biological Diversity Act, 2002; State Forest Acts, Regulations for trees out side forests and forest based industries and Judicial Decisions and Institutional Mechanism to implement National Forest Policy,1988Community Participation - Joint Forest Management on the principals of “care & share”. (More than 22 Million Ha. By more than 1.2 lakh committees)TOF meet around 50% wood demand , 15-20 % from Natural forests and 30-35% from Import.

Forest Carbon (AGB,BGB , Soil Carbon, Dead wood and Litter) of Indian Forests was 6071 MT in 1994 and 6288 MTC in 2004

Forests in India are primarily environmental and social resource, only secondarily as commercial resource

The Prime Objective of NFP,1988 is ecological security of Nation and other objective of NFP is subordinate to Prime objective

Local people, particularly tribals have first charge on forests for their livelihood and sustenance need

“+” has been initiated by India at UNFCCC

Status Paper on REDD+ by MOEF

REDD+ Cell in MOEF

National Level Consultation on preparedness

of REDD+ jointly by MOEF and TERI

National Level Consultation on International

architecture on REDD+ jointly by MOEF and

TERI

International consultation on International on Architecture on REDD+ and its Relevance to developing Countries during COP-11 of CBD jointly by TERI and MOEF

International Consultation on South Asian Perspectives of REDD+ during DSDS, 2013 jointly by TERI,MOEF and ICIMOD

Regional Consultation on preparedness of REDD+ at Banglore jointly organized by TERI,MOEF and KFD

Regional Consultation on preparedness of REDD+ at Kohima, jointly organized by TERI,MOEF and NFD

Regional Consultation on preparedness of REDD+ at Bhopal jointly organized by TERI,MOEF and MPFD

Regional Consultation on preparedness of REDD+ at Agra jointly organized by TERI,MOEF and UPFD

Village level consultation at Renukoot, Chindwara, Angul, Tehri,Sundarbans and Kohima by TERI and SFDs

State Level Consultation in Odisha by TERI and MOEF

Expert Committee for preparation of reference document and Strategy for REDD+ in India by MOEF under the chairmanship of Dr. Jagdish Kishwan

REDD+ cell established by IGNFA under the chairman ship of Dr. Jagdish Kishwan

Initiatives has been taken by ICFRE and some of the state governments like Nagaland, MP and Karnataka

Objectives:“Reducing emissions from land use, including deforestation: cooperation on forests and land use, including reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation and enhanced sequestration, through afforestation, conservation and sustainable management of forests.”

Expected Outcomes: Improved tools, methods and approaches developed and deployed for taking REDD+ actions to scale. Forest-PLUS will: accelerate India’s transition to a low emissions

economy by taking REDD+ actions to scale. support Green India Mission and REDD+

activities. actively engage with communities and local

governments in supporting REDD+ activities.

Task 1: Develop tools, techniques and methods for better ecosystem management and to increase carbon sequestration.

Task 2 : Develop improved methods to establish carbon inventory and reference baselines.

Task 3: Analyze social and economic incentives for promoting REDD+ policy and practice.

Task1: Establish government and stakeholder dialogue and communication processes.

Task2 : Engage stakeholders constructively in REDD+ implementation.

Task3: Human and institutional capacity development and strengthening of enabling environment.

POLICY BRIEF ,PROCEEDINGS AND REPORT POLICY BRIEF

Policy Brief on International

Architecture on REDD+ Policy Brief on Institutional

Mechanism on REDD+ in India Proceedings of Side Event on

International Architecture on

REDD+ and its Relevance to

developing countries during

COP-11 of CBD Report on International

Architecture on REDD+ and its

relevance to India

• Discussions and consultations lead to identification of many issues:

Unresolved issues of Definition of Sustainable Management of Forests, Baseline, MRV

In India, Sustainable Management of Forests is synonymous with Sustainable Forest Management

Determination of baseline at 1990 or later For MRV- GoI should identify a lead agency or verification of

carbon For MRV- reporting should be carried out through the state

government to GoI For MRV- Monitoring by 3rd party designated by GoI Capacity building of Forest Departments, communities w.r.t.

MRV Proposed an institutional arrangement after consultations and

discussions

Institutional Arrangement

A book on "Sustainable Forest Management and REDD+ in India“ launched during TERI’s flagship event Delhi Sustainable Development Summit 2013

• Forest Governance: JFMC a sub-committee of Garma Sabha Gram Sabha –a centric Body where CFR under FRA

recognized Role of Women in decision making where pre-existing

Community –Based forest Governance Role of FD –Technical, Monitoring and enforcement

of Legislations (Regulatory) • Project design:

Small Scale at JFMC /Gram Sabha level Five Pool of carbon (AGB, BGB, Litter, dead wood

and Soil Carbon) Low Transaction Cost Simple methodology for carbon assessment which

should be validated with GIS Technology

• Forest Governance: JFMC a sub-committee of Garma Sabha Gram Sabha –a centric Body where CFR under FRA

recognized Role of Women in decision making where pre-existing

Community –Based forest Governance Role of FD –Technical, Monitoring and enforcement

of Legislations (Regulatory) • Project design:

Small Scale at JFMC /Gram Sabha level Five Pool of carbon (AGB, BGB, Litter, dead wood

and Soil Carbon) Low Transaction Cost Simple methodology for carbon assessment which

should be validated with GIS Technology

Financing: Fund-Based Mechanism initially Exploring Voluntary Market National Level schemes /Funding Mechanism

such as GIM, CAMPA ,EAPs and Finance Commission may be used for compensating conservation efforts of community by way of carbon

• Ecosystem Services: Carbon sequestration is just like other

ecosystem service and it is treated as co-benefit , other services and biodiversity conservation are key benefits

• Capacity Building: Capacity building of forest department

officials and community Capacity building of other departments

related to rural development Generating awareness among officials of

other line departments.• Livelihood:

Livelihood Based on sustainable harvest Un-sustainable harvest must be

substituted with alternate means of employment and opportunities

Recognition of Forest Principles

Decentralized Forest Governance

Protection of Rights of Forest dependent Communities

Sustainable Livelihood and Poverty Reduction

Avoid adverse impact on non-forest ecosystems

Protection of Natural Forests from degradation

Low carbon and climate resilient sustainable development

Maintenance of Ecosystem services and Biodiversity Conservation

Undertaking a comprehensive assessment for designing a REDD Plus project at the field level

•Five pilot projects in Uttar Pradesh, Uttrakhand, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha and West Bengal for designing REDD+ Project was conducted•Village Level Consultations conducted at Garhdarwa village, Sonbhadra District of UP State, Jereng Village in Angul District of Odisha, Jharkhali and Bakkhali villages in Sundarbans, 24 Parganas District of West Bengal, Suva Kholi village in Tehri District of Uttrakhand and Delakhari village in Chindwara District of MP State. •Socio-economic survey completed in all the pilot sites•Carbon assessment has been completed in UP, MP, Uttrakhand and Odisha States, while it is under process in West Bengal, Considering five pools of carbon•Analysis of Socio-economic survey in UK, MP, UP and Odisha has been completed•Analysis of biomass data through GIS – Remote sensing technology is completed except Sundarban site

Assessment of actual harvest of forest produce (fuelwood, fodder and minor forest produce)

Quantification of sustainable harvest Assessment of unsustainable harvest and

leakages Unsustainable harvest is largely due to

unemployment/ lack of livelihoods/ severe poverty

Identification of options for the substitution of dependence on forest through alternative livelihood from sectors other than forest with the activities such as poultry, tasar cultivation, lac and MNREGA

Establishment of simple methodology for biomass assessment

5 pools of carbon(AGB, BGB, Soil Carbon, Dead Wood, Leaf Litter)

In mangrove forests, we are thinking to add 6th pool of carbon i.e. Phytoplanktons

Biomass asessment has been completed in four sites except Sundarbans

Biomass in comparison to 1990 has been enhanced with the conservation efforts of the community in Renukoot, Angul, Chiandwara and Reduce in case of Mussoorie

Project should be small scale i.e. JFMC/Village level

Baseline for carbon estimation should be 1990

Establishment of simple methodology for biomass assessment

5 pools of carbon(AGB, BGB, Soil Carbon, Dead Wood, Leaf Litter)

In mangrove forests, we are thinking to add 6th pool of carbon i.e. Phytoplanktons

Biomass asessment has been completed in four sites except Sundarbans

Biomass in comparison to 1990 has been enhanced with the conservation efforts of the community in Renukoot, Angul, Chiandwara and Reduce in case of Mussoorie

Project should be small scale i.e. JFMC/Village level

Baseline for carbon estimation should be 1990

Biomass estimation (1990 and 2012)

Site AGTB BGTBAngul 14.166 3.825

Chindwara 89.451 24.152

Renukoot 53.29 14.388

Mussoorie -2.695 -0.728

Change (t/ha)

Harvest - Sustainable/Unsustainable Fodder

Total Harvest: 320T/y Sustainable Limit:

117T/y Unsustainable harvest:

203T/y

Fuel wood Total harvest: 146T/y Sustainable Limit:

77T/y Unsustainable harvest:

69T/y

Unsustainable harvest is being substituted by Natural/Non-Natural/Forest Resource Based Livelihood

Enhancing & strengthening the forestry based livelihood practices such as tasar and lac culture

Lac culture practice saves the beutea trees- a representative of degraded forests

Raising tasar plantations on land vulnerable to encroachment has saved the land

Poultry Farming MANREGA With the help of SHGs

Natural resource Based Livelihood

Rural Development Schemes such as MANREGA

JICA Projects for improving livelihood of FDCs along with SFM in UP,WB, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Tamilnadu

Green India Mission

One of the Eight Missions under National Program on Climate Change

GOALS: Responding to climate change - combination of A&M measures Enhancing carbon in sustainably managed forests and other ecosystemsAdaptation of vulnerable species /ecosystems to the changing climateAdaptation of forest dependent communities

OBJECTIVES:Increase FTC on 5 M ha. plus Improve quality of forests on 5 M ha. Improve ecosystem services including biodiversity, hydrological and carbon sequestration from 10 M ha. of above forests. Increase forest based livelihood of 3 million FDCsEnhance annual CO2 sequestration of 50-60 MT by 2020

Core principles First charge on forests/ecosystem good and services of local

communities Empowerment of communities & decentralized forest governance TEK of communities along with forestry science and state off the

art technologies Restoration of eco-systems and habitat diversity – incl. degraded

forests, grasslands, mangroves, wetlands Participatory planning and execution of interventions – integrated

action at village-cluster of villages in in around forests/watersheds in selected landscapes

.

Thank You