Office for Environmental Programs - Theses
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ItemThe potential of adopting global forest carbon initiatives to strengthen forest management in Indonesia and combat deforestation and poverty( 2007)The role of tropical deforestation and forest fire in the climate change debate has become apparent as they contribute to nearly 20 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions. The Kyoto Protocol recognises this issue and incorporates forestry activities as an alternative mitigation effort to combat emissions. Under the Clean Development Mechanism, the Kyoto Protocol provides a legal basis for international carbon trade initiatives in which developed countries with quantified emission reduction targets can invest in forest carbon projects in developing countries to gain carbon credits. For developing countries like Indonesia with a vast forest area and a huge population, forest carbon could serve as a means to strengthen forest management practices through sustaining forest resources and local livelihood. For forest carbon initiatives in Indonesia to be successful, supporting policy and infrastructures particularly in regard to land tenure security and clear market mechanisms have to be provided. While the potential of a forest protection scheme to local benefit is enormous, the problem remains unresolved since the Kyoto Protocol regards sink projects as ineligible under the Clean Development Mechanism, along with the issue of uncertainty in terms of forestry-related definition and forestry activities that can be included. Despite being highly criticised, forest sink projects demonstrate a massive ecological benefit apart from carbon sequestration and carbon reservoir in terms of maintaining biodiversity, improving water quality and preventing soil erosion. In further developing the Kyoto Protocol, clauses that help to protect the existing forests in tropical countries like Indonesia will provide a strong incentive to limit greenhouse gas emissions.