Why should tropical wetlands be part of CC mitigation strategies?

Daniel Murdiyarso and Boone Kauffman

Coverage

1. Introduction 2. How can wetlands be included in REDD+ 3. The opportunities and challenges for wetlands 4. The way forward

Tropical wetlands are well distributed in REDD+ countries

The global mechanism is gaining scientific and political support

Introduction 1

REDD+ countries with varying D rate

Bali Action Plan: REDD+

SFM

REDD

Conservation ECS

Source: Pedroni (2009)

Cancun Agreement: Phased-approach

• REDD+ national strategy: follow UN-REDD and WB FCPF processes

• National reference level: sub-national reference level is accepted only temporary in while taking care of domestic leakage

• Forest monitoring system: to demonstrate additionality that includes environmental and social safeguards (UN-DRIP)

A Reference Level is needed

Base Period Or Historical baseline

Crediting period = 35 years?

Re

du

ced

em

issi

on

s

With REDD

Without REDD (BAU)

Fo

rest

carb

on

sto

cks

With REDD+

5 or 10 years?

Global wetlands C survey

Gabon Mozambique Tanzania?

Mexico Costa Rica Peru

Indonesia Vietnam India

• Globally cover 13.8 million ha • Declined by 30–50% over the past half century • Emissions of 0.2-1.2 billion t C/y 10% tropical

deforestation (0.7% of total tropical forest area)

Mangroves forests

Source: Donato et al. (2011)

Source: FAO (2007)

Deep to very deep (7.2 Mha = 19 GtC)

Shallow to deep (5.8 Mha = 11 GtC)

Shallow to moderate (8.0 Mha = 3 GtC)

1990 2002

Global 400 Mha (528 Pg)

Tropics 40 Mha (191 Pg)

SE Asia 35-40 Mha 25-30 Mha

Indonesia 21 Mha

(33 Pg)

17 Mha (?)

Tropical peatlands distribution

Task Force on National Greenhouse Gas Inventories

Existing 2006 IPCC Guidance on Wetlands Land-use

category/GHG Peatlands Flooded Land

Wetlands Remaining Wetlands

CO2 Section 7.2.1.1 No Guidance

(Included Elsewhere)

CH4 No Guidance

(Assumed Negligible) Appendix 3

N2O Section 7.2.1.2 No Guidance

(Included Elsewhere)

Lands Converted to Wetlands

CO2 Section 7.2.2.1 Section 7.3.2.1 and Appendix 2

CH4 No Guidance

(Assumed Negligible) Appendix 3

N2O Section 7.2.2.2 No Guidance

(Included Elsewhere)

Wetlands store large amount of carbon

Offer variety of co-benefits

Synergies with adaptation measures

How can wetlands be included? 2

Large belowground pools: peatlands

Murdiyarso et al. (2009)

Ab

ove

gro

un

d

0

200

400

Distance from Ocean (m)

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140

Be

low

gro

un

d200

400

600

800

1000

1200

Carb

on s

tock

(M

g h

a-1

)Belowground pools

Aboveground pools

Roots

Soil

Down wood

Trees

Total C stock ( x Mg ha-1

):

863.3 891.9 1044.4 1038.8 1073.4 1047.8

Large belowground pools: mangroves

Murdiyarso et al. (2009)

The Sundarbands

• The world's largest remaining single block of mangrove forest

• Appr. 1 Mha (10,000 km2)

• Delta front has undergone a net erosion of ~170 km2 of coastal land in the past 37 years study period

Source: Rahman et al. (2011)

The world mangroves

Beach erosion leading to ecosystems loss

Peatlands high biodiversity

Low hanging fruit

High opportunity costs

The opportunities and challenges 3

Low hanging fruit

Eco

syste

m C

sto

rag

e (

Mg

ha

-1)

Soils below 30 cm depth

Soils 0-30 cm depth + roots

Aboveground live + dead

Boreal Temperate Tropical upland

Tropicalpeat swamp

Mangrove0

200

400

600

800

1,000

1,200

1,400

1,600

Donato et al., (2011)

High opportunity costs: pulpwood industries

• Extensive - low yields (3-4 t/ha/y)

• Emits around 60 Mg CO2/ha/y

• Revenue from palm oil: $16 B/y

High opportunity costs: palm oil industries

Source: Murdiyarso et al. (2010)

Monitoring capacity remains a challenge

Reforming (peat) forest governance

Securing tenure /rights should be part of the mechanism

Monetizing co-benefits should be promoted

Synergizing mitigation and adaptation strategies

The way forward 4

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