Draft Report Opportunities for UNDP Support to REDD+ Readiness in Bangladesh

Transcription

1 Draft Report Opportunities for UNDP Support to REDD+ Readiness in Bangladesh UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME July,

2 BACKGROUND 1. As part of its commitment to REDD+, Bangladesh requested admission to the UN-REDD Programme (for all acronyms, see Annex 1) in May 2010, and were formally accepted into the Programme in August Beyond its role in the UN-REDD Programme, UNDP is also committed to supporting the Government of Bangladesh on a range of environmental issues, including REDD+. Consequently, at the request of the Government, the UNDP/UN-REDD Regional Coordinator undertook a mission to Bangladesh from June 26-30, 2011, to meet with government and other stakeholders. The ToR for the mission, including mission schedule, are provided in Annex Activities undertaken during the mission included: Meet and discuss with the UNDP Country Office current support from UNDP to Bangladesh, and identify current and planned UNDP-supported initiatives of actual or potential relevance to REDD+ readiness Meet and discuss with the Forest Department, Ministry of Environment and Forests, and other government agencies, the legislative context, and past current and planned policies and activities affecting the forest sector and sustainable management of forest resources Meet with NGO/CSOs working on forest/natural resources/climate change/rural development topics, to gain an understanding of NGO/CSO perspectives and to review current and planned NGO/CSO initiatives of relevance to REDD+ Meet with other development partners to discuss current and planned programmes of relevance to REDD+ 1 Compile and analyze all information into a report focusing on possible targeted support to the Government of Bangladesh to be delivered through assistance of UNDP. See Annex 3 for list of people met. STATUS OF FOREST RESOURCES IN BANGLADESH See Annex 4. FOREST POLICIES AND LEGISLATION See Annex 5. STATUS OF REDD+ READINESS 3. Bangladesh began taking steps towards REDD+ readiness in 2010, with the request to join the UN-REDD Programme, and subsequently with the establishment of three committees. These are: 1 List of people met is provided in Annex 2 2

3 The REDD+ Technical Committee (RTC), which includes 17 members, drawn from various government agencies, academia, and civil society, and with two representatives of development partners, UNDP and USAID. The RTC is chaired by the Secretary of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, and the Chief Conservator of Forests is the Member Secretary. To date, the RTC has organized two workshops on REDD+, the first in 2010, under the auspices of the IPAC, and the second in May 2011, which was for awareness raising of Forestry Department officials; The National REDD+ Steering Committee (NRSC), formed in May 2011, also chaired by the Secretary of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, with the National REDD+ Focal Point as the Member Secretary. Membership of the NRSC is similar to that of the RTC, except excluding development partners. The REDD+ Strategy Drafting Committee, whose role is initially to produce an outline of the future National REDD+ Strategy. 4. Substantial progress is also being made in the area of carbon assessments, mainly through USAID funding, lead by the IPAC project, and with the technical support of the United States Forest Service. This initiative seeks to build in-country capacity for measuring, monitoring, and reporting carbon stocks in wetland forests, with special attention to the SRF. A specific objective is to establish a plan for a combined carbon and resource inventory of the SRF to support: a) entry into global carbon markets, and b) an updated forest management plan. A report has been produced 2 outlining the rationale, design, field measurement, analysis, and reporting required for forest carbon assessments. The focus is on mangroves but, with minor adaptations, the approaches generally apply in other wetland forests as well. 5. Emerging out of this work are a number of proposals for carbon financing to support reforestation, conservation, and sustainable management of forest areas. For example, The Forest Department has developed a concept note 3 for a proposed REDD and IFM project (Collaborative REDD+IFM Project, CRISP) for the Sundarbans mangrove ecosystem as a precursor to a formal Project Design Document (PDD) that may be submitted for validation under one or more of the international carbon standards being used for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions or removals within the frameworks of voluntary or (eventual) compliance markets for carbon offsets. CRISP is a proposed AFOLU project consisting of activities related to REDD and IFM in the project area through avoiding unplanned frontier deforestation and degradation, and improved forests management through conversion of logged forests to protected forests including protecting currently logged or degraded forests from further logging respectively. It is estimated that from the project area of 412,000 ha, CRISP will generate an average of 213,115 tons CO 2e annually over a 30-year project period, for total project emissions reductions of 6,393,452 tons CO 2e (an average of tons per hectare). 6. Bangladesh also has extensive experience with revenue sharing mechanisms, which can probably be adapted as components of a REDD+ compliant Benefit Distribution System. 2 Donato,, D.C., Kauffman, J. B., and Stidham, M Protocols for Measuring & Reporting Carbon Stocks in Mangrove Forests; With Special Reference to Carbon Assessment for Sundarbans Reserve Forest, Bangladesh. U.S.D.A. Forest Service 3 Project Concept Note: Collaborative REDD+IFM Sundarbans Project (CRISP). Government of Bangladesh, Ministry of Environment and Forests, Forest Department. February

4 Revenue sharing usually takes the form of revenues from timber harvesting being shared between the Forest Department and local communities, according to a formula agreed beforehand, and recognizing the contribution of the communities to conservation and management of the forest before harvesting. 7. Finally, Bangladesh has extensive experience with social forestry and with reforestation programmes, from which valuable lessons can be learnt for the design of an effective national REDD+ programme. National Partners and Domestic Initiatives related to Climate Change 8. In 1994, MoEF established the National Climate Committee (evolving into the National Steering Committee on Climate Change) tasked with developing broad policy on climate change. The Committee is chaired by the Secretary of MOEF, and comprises members from all relevant government and non-government organizations, including business and academia. 9. The Ministry of Environment and Forests is the lead ministry on climate change with coordination provided by a Climate Change Unit, recently upgraded to a Climate Change Department, facilitating the work of climate change focal points (cells) in all ministries, as well as maintaining linkages with non-governmental networks. 10. Ministries responsible for other sectors, including agriculture, food and disaster management, health, and water resources have become sensitized to climate related risks, taking on important roles in addressing these risks within their areas of responsibility. For example the Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre of the Bangladesh Water Development Board is the focal point for climate change within the water sector. 11. The Ministry of Finance has played a key role in developing the Climate Change Trust Fund Act (2010) as a means to enable the necessary financing to support implementation of the National Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan (2009). The Strategy is based on six pillars including food security, social protection and health among others. The intent to promote low carbon development is also recognized as a priority. 12. Bangladesh has subsequently established two climate change trust funds: the Bangladesh Climate Trust Fund and the Bangladesh Climate Resilience Fund. Further details on the status and operation of these two funds are provided below. Bangladesh Climate Change Trust Fund Bangladesh Climate Resilience Fund Status: active Focus: national CC strategy / action plan Budget: 100 million USD Source: government budget Duration: To be replenished annually or as needed Eligibility: government entities, CSOs, private Status: active Focus: climate adaptation specific Budget: 114 million USD Source: DFID; WB. EU, Denmark Duration: WB to administer for 3-4 years. BCRF to be gradually merged with the BCCTF. 4

5 sector (with preference given to government) Proposals: Grants disbursed to government agencies only so far. Eligibility: government entities, CSOs (10%) Proposals: 3 government proposals selected for total of USD 75 million. Development partners: no direct involvement to date Governance structure: all government with minor involvement of CSOs. Issues: involvement of non-government actors in governance of the fund Development partners: involved in policy and technical councils Governance structure: policy council (govt & donors), technical council (govt & donors), secretariat (WB), trustee (WB), CSO window administered by Palli Karma Sahayak Foundation (PKSF) (not for profit) 13. Additionally, UNDP implements a project for the promotion of development and confidence building in the CHT through the Chittagong Hill Tracts Development Facility (CHTDF). Partners are the Ministry of Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs (MoCHTA), the CHT Regional Council (RC), the three Hill District Councils (HDCs), the traditional institutions of the three Circle Chiefs, International, National and CHT-based NGOs, Civil Society Organizations, local leaders and representatives from local community based organizations. Current funding is $160M. The key objectives of the project are : Capacities of CHT institutions, including MoCHTA, the Regional Council, the three Hill District Councils, and the traditional institutions of the three Circle Chiefs, are enhanced Economic opportunities for small local enterprises, women, youth and farmers are improved Literacy is increased through improved access to a strengthened education system adapted to the local context Health conditions are improved through a strengthened health system supporting community outreach and localized service delivery Local communities are empowered and their capacities to manage their own development are enhanced Confidence required to find the solutions to long standing problems and encourage sustainable development and peace in the CHT is created. 14. A Forestry Sector Master Plan (FSMP) was formulated in 1993 with the objective to optimize the contribution of forest resources for environmental stability and socio-economic development through people-oriented forestry programs. A Forest Policy was promulgated in 1994 to support FSMP directives and recommendations. The programmes of the FSMP are: People-oriented Programs Production-Directed Programs Institutional Strengthening 5

6 15. The Forest Department, within the Ministry of Environment and Forests, is headed by the Chief Conservator of Forests (CCF) and consists of 4 wings, each administered by a Deputy Chief Conservator of Forests (DCCF). The Wings are: Forest Management Wing Social Forestry Wing Planning Wing Education and Training Wing 16. There are 9 Circles in the Forest Department, each headed by a Conservator of Forests (CF). These include 5- Forest Management Circles; 3-Social Forest Circles and 1-Wildlife and Nature Conservation Circle. Similarly there are 44 Forest Divisions, each headed by a Divisional Forest officer (DFO). Under the Divisions are 255 Ranges, each of which consists of 2-4 Beats. ACTIVITIES OF DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS See Annex 6 ENTRY POINTS 17. In common with many other UN-REDD partner countries, there are various activities already underway in Bangladesh, with support of various development partners, which are of value for REDD+ readiness. However, there is a gap in terms of taking a structured and strategic approach to REDD+ readiness. Consequently, there is a risk that while progress on some issues might be rapid, overall REDD+ readiness will be achieved very inefficiently and slowly. 18. Therefore, the primary entry point for UNDP should be in preparing an overall REDD+ Readiness Roadmap, which will outline the capacities needed for REDD+ readiness, the current capacity gaps, the activities of all partners that are contributing to overcome these capacity gaps, and the remaining areas requiring additional support. 19. Funding is available from the UNDP Country Office to initiate this process immediately. It is anticipated that an international expert on REDD+ readiness will be recruited to lead the process, and that he/she will be supported by a team of national experts, some of whom might be assigned to contribute to the process by the Ministry and/or Forest Department, whilst others might be recruited as national consultants. The goal will be to complete a REDD+ Readiness Roadmap by the end of calendar year Draft ToR for the Team Leader are provided in Annex On completion of the REDD+ Readiness Roadmap, Bangladesh will be prepared to move forward in a coordinated and planned fashion through the three phases of REDD+ defined under the Cancun Text (UNFCCC Decision CP.16/1; paragraph 73). This would involve implementation of the REDD+ Readiness Roadmap, constituting Phase 1 of REDD+ under the Cancun Text (Initial REDD+ Readiness). Investment and scale-up follows under Phase 2, 6

7 when results-based payments may be made, leading eventually to Phase 3, namely full national implementation of REDD+, resulting in performance payments for emission reductions, as determined by a national MRV system. This process is illustrated in Figure 1, below. Figure 1: Bangladesh REDD+ Readiness Roadmap and UN-REDD contribution REDD+ Readiness Roadmap Implementation of Roadmap (= Phase 1 ; Initial REDD+ Readiness) Investment and scale-up (= Phase 2 ) Fu impl (= Time Possible target dates End 2011 End 2014 End 2016 (depends on UNFCCC) 21. It is anticipated that at some point in the future, funding for a UN-REDD Country Programme will become available. This depends on (a) the availability of funding in the Programme; and (b) a decision on the part of the UN-REDD Policy Board to invite Bangladesh to prepare a proposal for submission. Therefore, it is possible that UN-REDD funding might be available to help fill the unaddressed capacity gaps identified through the REDD+ Readiness Roadmap process. 22. In some other UN-REDD Partner Countries, for example, Viet Nam and the Democratic Republic of Congo, initial REDD+ readiness (Phase 1) is followed by UN-REDD support to investment and scale-up (Phase 2). However, Bangladesh seems to be in an excellent position to move quickly into Phase 2, with funding support from UNDP, other development partners, and the GoB. The potential exists for substantial amounts of funding for both technical assistance ot the scale-up process and for result-based payments to local stakeholders, for example, from the BCRF, the CHTDF, and/or the BBCCTF. In other words, the standard process illustrated in Figure 1 could be amended in Bangladesh along the lines of Figure 2: 7

8 REDD+ Readiness Roadmap Implementation of Roadmap (= Phase 1 ) Investment and scale-up (= Phase 2 ) Full nationa implementati (= Phase 3 Time Possible target dates End 2011 Mid 2012 End 2014 End 2015 (depends on UNFCCC) 23. This alternative model implies that Phase 2 can begin much earlier than in the purely sequential model shown in Figure 1. This has two advantages. Firstly, it means that Bangladesh can potentially move into Phase 3 at an earlier date (if the UNFCCC is ready). Secondly, since one of the main benefits of Phase 2 is to learn lessons at a sub-national level before moving to national implementation, those lessons can be generated in parallel with Phase 1 activities. For example, typical products of Phase 1 may include an initial National REDD+ Strategy, an initial REDD+ compliant Benefit Distribution System, and a system for monitoring policies and measures. Under the sequential model illustrated in Figure 1, these systems (and strategy) will need to be reviewed and modified based on lessons learned during Phase 2, but under the model illustrated in Figure 2, lessons can be learnt in parallel to the development of these key elements of a REDD+ architecture. 24. Regarding the UNDP contribution to a Phase 2 initiative, the Country Office is proposing to commit substantial funding to a project in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, to complement the substantial cross-practice work already being implemented there. RESOURCE MOBILIZATION 25. The UNDP Country Office has indicated that funds are available to permit immediate progress on preparation of the REDD+ Readiness Roadmap. It is recommended that these funds be used to deliver the following outputs: i) A REDD+ Readiness Roadmap document ii) A preliminary UN-REDD Programme Document, addressing capacity gaps identified in the roadmap (submission of the document will have to await an invitation from the UN- REDD Policy Board 8

9 iii) A proposal for a Phase 2 initiative, nominally focused on the Chittagong Hill Tracts, involving a partnership with other development partners, and funds for results-based payments. 26. Funding for item (ii), above, would come from the UN-REDD Programme, once funds are available and an invitation to submit a proposal is received from the UN-REDD Policy Board; but, in any case, the roadmap will need to identify other development partners able to contribute to filling capacity gaps. 27. Funding for item (iii) above will necessarily come from a variety of sources. It is anticipated that UNDP funding for technical assistance (in the order of several million USD) will be available from the forthcoming Green Development Programme. However, additional sources of technical assistance will be required, and funds for results-based payments. Opportunities for accessing funds from the BCRF, the BBCCTF, and the CHTDF should be pursued. 28. Regarding items (i) and (ii), above, the FAO Country Office and FAO Regional Office should be approached regarding the possibility of funding for these outputs, with a focus on a MRV system. In particular, the potential of partnership with DfID should be explored through their regional office in Delhi (Claire Sakya: Claire.sakya@dfid.gov.uk), since there may be the possibility of promoting a regional approach in partnership with DfID. 29. UNEP will certainly play a role in the UN-REDD Country Programme when it is developed and implemented. Opportunities for contributions from the UNEP World Conservation monitoring Centre to explore opportunities to secure multiple benefits (especially biodiversity conservation) should also be investigated. 30. In anticipation of items (ii) and (iii), above, lessons from other UN-REDD Partner Countries with Country Programmes under implementation indicate that dedicated support is required in the UNDP Country Office to manage the process. In some cases this is provided through JPOs, especially Norwegian JPOs; in other cases through UNVs. Both avenues of support should be investigated, with the Norwegian embassy and others. 9

10 Annex 1: LIST OF ACRONYMS AFOLU AusAID BCCTF BCCSAP BCRF CC CCF CF CHT CHTDF CRISP CSO DCCF DfID DFO EU FSMP GHG GIZ GoB HDC IFM IPAC JPO MoCHTA MoEF MRV NGO NRSC PDD PKSF RC REDD+ RTC SRF ToR UNFCCC UN-REDD UNV USAID USD WB Agriculture, Forestry and Other Land Use Australian Agency for International Development Bangladesh Climate Change Trust Fund Bangladesh Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan Bangladesh Climate Resilience Fund Climate Change Chief Conservator of Forests Conservator of Forests Chittagong Hill Tracts Chittagong Hill Tracts Development Facility Collaborative REDD+IFM Sundarbans Project Civil Society Organization Deputy Chief Conservator of Forests Department for International Development (UK) District Forest Officer European Union Forestry Sector Master Plan Greenhouse gasses Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit Government of Bangladesh Hill District Council Improved Forest Management Integrated Protected Areas Co-management Project (USAID) Junior Professional Officer Ministry of Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs Ministry of Environment and Forests Measurement, Reporting and Verification Non-governmental organization National REDD+ Steering Committee Project Design Document Palli Karma Sahayak Foundation Resident Coordinator Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation and the Role of Conservation, Sustainable Management of Forests, and Enhancement of Forest Carbon Stocks in Developing Countries REDD+ Technical Committee Sundarbans Reserve Forest Terms of Reference United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change United Nations Collaborative Programme on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Developing Countries United Nations Volunteer United States Agency for International Development United States dollars World Bank 10

11 Annex 2: MISSION TOR 1. Background Government of Bangladesh is keen to undertake all necessary activities to comply with the REDD readiness requirements in an expedited manner and requested UNDP Country Office for assistance. In response, UNDP CO Management decided to field a UNDP Regional Centre Expert Scoping Mission. In this regard, Secretary of the Ministry of Environment and Forests convened a meeting on 5 May 2011 and the meeting revealed the following: (1) National REDD Technical Working Committee has been formed to facilitate activities in relation to REDD readiness; (3) The National Steering Committee will be formed and activated with immediate effect; (4) the meeting suggested that the UNDP Regional Centre Expert Scoping Mission should arrive after the Bonn CC meeting preferably after 21 June as relevant government officials will be out of country to attend the event; (5) necessary preparatory actions from the government side are to be undertaken including developing an outline for the national REDD Strategy; (6) Sundarban carbon stock has been assessed and preparation are progressing for assessing carbon stock in other priority areas. 2. Purpose of the Mission The UNDP Technical Specialist Mission will meet with relevant government and non-government stakeholders, and will identify national needs for REDD+ readiness. The mission aims to review the status of REDD+ readiness in Bangladesh and to assess the types of interventions required to develop full REDD+ readiness. The mission will meet with government, development partners, and other stakeholders to analyze and discuss existing information on the drivers of deforestation and forest degradation in Bangladesh, and to identify the types of systemic, institutional and individual capacity building required to address the drivers. The mission will also review information on current and planned development partner support to Bangladesh that may be relevant to building capacity for REDD+ readiness. 3. Scope of Work The mission will: Meet and discuss with the UNDP Country Office current support from the UN System to Bangladesh, and identify current and planned UN-supported initiatives of actual or potential relevance to REDD readiness; 11

12 Meet and discuss with various government agencies, the legislative context, and past current and planned policies and activities affecting the forest sector and sustainable management of forest resources; Meet with NGO/CSOs working on forest/natural resources/climate change/rural development topics, to gain an understanding of NGO/CSO perspectives, and to review current and planned NGO/CSO initiatives of relevance to REDD+; Meet with relevant development partners to discuss current and planned programmes of relevance to REDD+; and Compile and analyze all information into a report focusing on possible targeted support to the Government of Bangladesh to be delivered through assistance of UNDP. 4. Mission Personnel/Team The mission will be undertaken by the UNDP Technical Specialist, Tim Boyle. The Technical design mission will also be represented by government of Bangladesh and UNDP country office. 5. Mission Schedule Date AM PM 26 June 2011 Travel to Dhaka Arrival in Dhaka (i) Meeting with UNDP Mgmt (ii) Mission planning meeting on the draft work plan and approach 27 June 2011 Meeting with WB, USAID/IPAC/Arannayk Foundation Meeting with the Secretary, MoEF, Chief Conservator of Forests, and other relevant government officials 28 June 2011 Meeting DfID, EC Consultation with CSOs/National experts 29 June 2011 Meeting with GIZ Meeting with UNDP and FAO staff; AusAid; Embassy of Norway 30 June 2011 UNDP Mgmt debriefing Depart Dhaka 6. Mission Report The results of the mission will be communicated to the MoEF/FD and UNDP through a draft mission report for review and comments. The report will clearly identify the (i) time-bound next steps (Work Plan) for the government, and UN; (ii) analytical specifications on REDD+ programming opportunities; (iii) opportunities for enhancing synergies and partnership. The report will be finalized incorporating comments from MoEF/FD and UNDP by mid July

13 Annex 3: LIST OF PEOPLE MET Name Organization Mr. Mesbah ul Alam Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Forests Mr. S.M. Munjural Hannan Deputy Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Forests Khan Mr. Zahid Hussain Munshi Senior Assistant Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Forests Mr. Ishtiaq Uddin Ahmad Chief Conservator of Forests, Forest Department Md. Mazaharul Islam Assistant Chief Conservator of Forests, Development Planning Unit, Forest Department Mr. Haradhan Banik Conservator of Forests, Forest Department Mr. Imran Ahmed Deputy Conservator of Forests, Forest Management Wing, Forest Department Md. Abdullah Abrahim Hossain Assistant Conservator of Forests, Development Planning Unit, Forest Department Mr. Robert Jukham UNDP Deputy Country Director (Programme) Mr. Tarik ul Islam UNDP Assistant Country Director, Environment, Energy & Climate Mitigation Mr. Aminul Islam UNDP Assistant Country Director; Risk Reduction and Climate Adaptation Mr. Mamunul Khan UNDP Programme Officer, Environment and Sustainable Development Mr. Abu Mostafa Kamal UNDP, Climate Change Specialist Uddin Ms. Sarwat Chowdury UNDP, Climate Change Specialist Mr. Prashanta Tripura Director, Chittagong Hill Tracts Development Facility M. Badrul Arefin FAO, National Consultant Mr. Shakil Ahmed Ferdausi World Bank, Senior Environment Specialist Mr. Alamgir Hossain USAID, Climate Change Specialist Mr. Ram Sharma IPAC, Deputy Chief of Party Mohd. Abdul Quddus Arannayk Foundation, Senior Program Officer Ms. Joanne Manda DfID, Climate Change and Environment Advisor Mr. Jorge Nieto Rey EU, First Secretary Ms. Nuzhat Imam Oxfam, Campaign Officer, Policy & Advocacy Department Mr. Quamrul Islam Federation of Environmental Journalists Chowdury Mr. Erich Otto Gomm GIZ, Programme Coordinator, Sustainable Energy for Development GIZ Ms. Amanda Jennings AusAID, Second Secretary (Development Cooperation) Mr. Shahriar Islam AusAID, Program Officer Mr. Kyrre Braekhus Norwegian Embassy, Deputy Head of Mission Mr. Morshed Ahmed Norwegian Embassy, Senior Advisor (Development Affairs) 13

14 Annex 4: STATUS OF FOREST RESOURCES IN BANGLADESH 1. Situated in the north-eastern part of the South Asian subcontinent Bangladesh occupies a unique geographic location. Almost all of Bangladesh (148,000 km 2 ) lies in the active delta of three of the world s major rivers: Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna, and is dominated by the flooding patterns of these rivers and those of many smaller rivers and tributaries. The country is bounded by India on the west, the north and the northeast and Myanmar on the southeast and the Bay of Bengal on the south. (Asia-Pacific forestry sector outlook study -Country report Bangladesh 1998 ftp://ftp.fao.org/docrep/fao/003/y0165e/y0165e00.pdf) 2. Floodplains occupy about 80% of the total land area of Bangladesh. Terraces account for another 8% while the remaining 12% are hills mostly occurring in northeast and eastern portion of the country, in Sylhet, Mymensingh and Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) regions. The south-western region of Bangladesh consists of a large number of dead and cut-off rivers, the coastal part of which includes the famous Sundarbans mangrove forest. Two geo-ecological zones dominate in Bangladesh: tropical moist deciduous forest constitutes more than 2/3 of the country, while the rest belongs to the geo-ecological zone of tropical rain forest, where also the country s forests are mainly situated. (ibid; National Forest and Tree Resources Assessment Agriculture accounts for about 18% of the country s GDP, industry 29% and services 53%. Although more than a half of GDP is produced through the service sector, 45% of the population is employed in the agriculture sector. The single most important agricultural product is rice, followed by jute, tea, wheat, sugarcane, potatoes and tobacco. Although unemployment rate has been relatively moderate, 5,1% in 2009, about 40% of Bangladeshis are underemployed, with many working only a few hours a week at low wages. Main industries in Bangladesh include cotton textiles, jute, garments, tea processing, paper newsprint, cement, light engineering, sugar, and chemical fertilizer. ( 4. With a population of 162 million (of which 98 % are Bengalis) in 2009, Bangladesh is one of the world s most densely populated countries with more than 70% of population living in rural areas and majority of them depending on agriculture for their livelihoods. Also, Bangladesh s geography and topography make it one of the most vulnerable countries in the world to natural disasters Despite these challenges, Bangladesh has witnessed considerable development progress over the last two decades, realising an average annual GDP growth rate of 6.2% since 2004 and a significant reduction in the poverty headcount ratio, which stood at 40% in 2005 (down from 58.8% in 1990). (Draft country programme of UNDP Bangladesh Country Office, (population)) 5. Natural disasters affecting the country have increased in frequency and severity as a result of the worsening impact of climate change. The poorest are the most severely affected as they live in the most climate vulnerable parts of the country. While better disaster preparedness strategies and practices have, overtime, reduced the number of deaths, the loss 14

15 of assets and livelihoods remain very high (as much as 3% of GDP), with women being most acutely affected. Bangladesh is currently not on track to meet MDG7 due to deforestation, energy shortages, and pollution. About half of the population is dependent on a rapidly degrading natural resource base, including forests, for their livelihoods and only about 50% of households have access to on-grid energy. (Draft country programme of UNDP Country Office) 6. According to the most recent Forest Resources Assessment by FAO, Bangladesh has approximately 1.4 million hectares of forests, accounting for 11% of the country s total land area. Of total forest area, 30% is considered as primary forest, 53% as other naturally regenerated forest and 16% as planted forest. Currently 17%, or ha, of total forest area is within protected areas. (FAO Global forest resources assessment 7. As found in the National Forest Assessment conducted in the two most common natural forest types hill forest and mangrove forest cover more than 2/3 of the total forest area of Bangladesh, while bamboo forest cover almost 13 % and long rotation plantations almost 10 %. (FAO Global forest resources assessment Forest type Area Proportion of total (000 ha) (%) Natural forests Hill forest Sal forest 34 2 Mangrove forest Bamboo or mixed bamboo broadleved forest Forest plantations Long rotation forest plantation Short/medium rotation forest plantation 54 4 Mangrove Plantation 45 3 Rubber Plantation 8 1 Total forest area The importance of Bangladesh s mangrove forests has received international recognition. The Sundarbans mangrove forest has been one of UNESCO s World Heritage List sites since The site s mangrove forest (140,000 ha) is one of the largest remaining areas of mangroves in the world with exceptional biodiversity including 260 bird species, the Bengal tiger and other threatened species such as the estuarine crocodile and the Indian python. WWF has also included Sundarbans to its Global 200, the most biologically distinct ecosystems of the planet whose conservation would achieve the goal of saving a broad diversity of the Earth s ecosystems. Mangrove forests are among the most carbon-rich forests in the tropics, while also providing coastal areas physical protection against erosion and natural disasters such as cyclones. ( UNDP Community-Based 15

16 Adaptation to Climate Change through Coastal Afforestation project estation%20factsheet%20mar% pdf) 9. Fuelwood is the major wood product required in Bangladesh. Annual wood fuel removal in 2005 was approximately 1.0 million cubic meters, having almost doubled since Due to limited alternative sources of energy the rural people are mainly dependent on fuelwood for cooking and other household activities. Industrial roundwood removal was about 0.25 million cubic meters per year in (FAO Global forest resources assessment It is estimated that between 1990 and 2010, Bangladesh lost an average of 3,000 ha of forest or 0.18% per year. In total, between 1990 and 2010, the country lost 3.5% of its forest cover, or around 52,000 ha. The carbon stock in living forest biomass has decreased by 5% from 1990, and was 80 million tonnes in Although forest degradation rate is relatively low at present, it has been estimated that most of Bangladesh s forest areas have already faced a severe degradation in the past decades. (FAO Global forest resources assessment Asia-Pacific forestry sector outlook study, Country report Bangladesh 1998) 11. In some areas of the country, particularly in the Sundarbans, increases in population have resulted in or contributed to fuelwood collection for personal use as well as for sale and illicit felling for constructions and fish harvesting. Poverty and limited livelihoods options are important factors in local community members willingness to participate in these illegal activities. These stressors are further exacerbated by the weak law-enforcement capacity of the Forest Department, as well as high demand for the forest products by sawmill owners and illegal timber traders. The need for timber for boat making and fishing by local community and floating populations is substantial and most of it is met through unauthorized removals. Peripheral deforestation is threat due mainly to highly commercial shrimp industry that has developed of late as the third largest foreign earning sector (after garment sector and remittances). (Collaborative REDD+IFM Sundarbans Project (CRISP) Project concept note from UNDP) 12. The major causes for forest destruction in Bangladesh can be placed under three major categories: land use changes for crop agriculture, settlement, and infrastructure development. The growing population causes pressure on forest ecosystems since the majority of Bangladesh s population are dependent on natural resources in one way or another. Forest lands have been cleared for agricultural as well as military purposes, and the traditional, once sustainable rotation cultivation practices have become unsustainable because of the reduced fallow periods that are not long enough to the land to recover. unsustainable forest product harvests both legal and illegal; including firewood collection for domestic use as well as raw material harvesting for wood industry production, including primary industries such as saw mills and pulp and paper industries as well as secondary industries such as furniture, and wood seasoning, 16

17 treatment and preservation. More than 57,000 wood industry production units in Bangladesh still employ approximately 0.21 million people. lack of effective governance failing to protect the forest and forest land. There s a lack of people s participation in forest management. Poor people s dependency on the forest resources and environmental services of forest ecosystems should be taken into account while at the same time preserving the biodiversity of forests. Also, poor facilities and salaries of the Forest Department field staff have been seen to contribute their participation in illegal forest harvesting. 13. The Government of Bangladesh, mainly through its Forest Department, has recently been engaged in actions to gain more knowledge on the status of the country s forest resources. The National Forest and Tree Resources Assessment (NFA) in was the first of its kind in Bangladesh, with direct objectives to develop and strengthen the national capacities to collect, compile, process and disseminate reliable and up-to-date information on forestry to national policy makers as well as to international organisations. The knowledge on forest and tree resources was planned to be used e.g. for redefining the policy and strategy of the Forest Department as well as for developing a comprehensive National Forestry Action Plan (NFAP). Forest Department was the lead institution responsible for the implementation of the project with support from FAO. It was suggested that the NFA be carried out on a continuous basis and the information framework be widened to cover issues of management and uses of the resources, biodiversity, climate change (biomass and carbon accounting), and livelihoods in relation with the national poverty reduction strategy. (National Forest and Tree Resources Assessment Government of Bangladesh represented by the Forest Department has also been developing a reduced emissions from deforestation and degradation (REDD) and Improved Forest Management (IFM) project in the Sundarbans mangrove ecosystem of southwestern Bangladesh. The Collaborative REDD+IFM Sundarbans project (CRISP) will consist of activities related to REDD and IFM in the project area through avoiding unplanned frontier deforestation and degradation, and improved forests management through conversion of logged forests to protected forests including protecting currently logged or degraded forests from further logging. From the project area of 412,000 ha, the project will generate emissions reductions of an average of 213,115 tons CO 2e annually over a 30-year project period, for total project emissions reductions of 6,393,452 tons CO 2e (an average of tons per hectare). The overall aims of the project are to achieve, through avoided deforestation and degradation, and improved forest management activities in the Sundarbans, carbon sequestration with livelihoods improvements through community participation in forestry activities as well as conservation of flora and fauna species through measures including habitat protection and improvement. (Project Concept Note: Collaborative REDD+IFM Sundarbans Project) 15. In recent years the Forest Department has been implementing a number of development projects and programs in cooperation with national and international actors for forest conservation and protection of unique types of forests and fragile ecosystems. These projects have been mainly concentrating on biodiversity conservation, development of forest 17

18 plantations, afforestation in areas suffering from forest loss such as the Chittagong Hill Tracts, social forestry, and establishment of eco-parks, wildlife sanctuaries and safari parks. There have been successes among these projects such as homestead forestry and strip plantations (embankments, railway and road sides) but further assessment, up-scaling and mainstreaming the lessons learned needs to be done. (Forest Department Some steps have already been taken to develop REDD+ readiness in Bangladesh. A national REDD Technical Committee and a National Steering Committee have been formed. Application for country inclusion in the UN-REDD Program has been submitted. Carbon accounting for Sundarban region has been completed and assessments of carbon stock for additional six areas are coming up. Some tasks ahead include preparation of REDD strategy, capacity development for REDD readiness, developing bilateral and multilateral cooperation for REDD readiness, development of REDD projects and development of MRV for REDD. 18

19 Annex 5: RELEVANT POLICY AND LEGAL PROVISIONS Climate policy is defined by the Bangladesh Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan (BCCSAP), which was completed in 200x. The BCCSAP has six Themes, each with a number of Programmes, for a total of 37 Programmes. The six Themes are: T1: Food Security, Social Protection and Health T2: Comprehensive Disaster Management T3: Infrastructure T4: Research and Knowledge Management T5: Mitigation and Low Carbon Development T6: Capacity Building and Institutional Strengthening One of the Programmes under Theme 5 is Afforestation and reforestation which, despite the seemingly limited scope of its title, does include REDD+. Obviously elements of capacity building for REDD+ are also included under Theme 6, including Programme 1, Revision of sectoral policies; and Programme 2, Mainstreaming climate change in national, sectoral and spatial development programmes. Forest management practices in Bangladesh date back to the establishment of the first forest policy statement in the colonial period, issued by the British in 1894, and modified in Following the partition of British India in 1947, the Government of Pakistan (including East Pakistan which became Bangladesh in 1971) declared its first forest policy in 1955, which was again modified in The revenue-orientation of forest policies, the isolation of government officers from people, emphasis on maximum economic return from forests, state patronization of forest-based industries, the maximum exploitation and the expansion of state proprietorship over forests were the main features of forestry during this period. After becoming independent in 1971, the Government of Pakistan declared its first forest policy in 1979 and the second and current forest policy in (Millat-e-Mustafa, M A Review of Forest Policy Trends in Bangladesh. Policy Trend Report 2002: Niaz Khan, N More Than Meets the Eye: Re-Reading Forest Policy Discourse in Bangladesh. Working Paper Number 177. Queen Elizabeth House, University of Oxford) Until the development of the current forest policy Bangladesh s forest policies were dominated by two trends typical to the historical development and evolution of public forest policies and practices in the Indian sub-continent: state-sponsored organized commercialization of forestry and progressive alienation of forest based communities from forest use and management. (Khan, N. 2009) The current forest policy has been seen as an initial move to the right direction, towards more people-oriented forestry with commitments such as sustainable development, poverty alleviation, local people s participation in forest protection and government support for the involvement of a broader sector of society in forestry development. However, it has still received critics of being too focused on the profit-oriented forest management. The ministry of Environment and Forests is primarily responsible for the implementation of Forest Policy, although direct responsibility is with the Forest 19

20 Department. (FAO Global forest resources assessment Country reports Bangladesh Khan, N. 2009, Forest Department Some of the key statements of the Forest Policy 1994 are: attempting to bring 20% of the country s land under afforestation programs of the government and private sector by 2015, massive afforestation on marginal public lands through partnerships with local people and NGOs, afforestation of denuded/encroached reserved forests with an agroforestry model through participation of people and NGOs, giving ownership of a certain amount of land to the tribal people through forest settlement processes, attempting to increase the amount of protected area by 10% of the reserved forest land by 2015 with priority areas being habitats encompassing representative samples of flora and fauna, using all state owned forests of natural origin and the plantations of the Hill and Sal forest for producing forest resources, except areas earmarked for conservation of soil and water resources and biodiversity, bringing the management of forest lands under profit-oriented business, modernization of forest-based industries to ensure effective utilization of forest raw materials, remaining the ban on export of logs, while allowing export of processed forest products, strengthening of the Forest Department and establishment of a new Department of Social Forestry, strengthening of educational, training and research facilities, and amendment of laws, rules and regulations relating to the forestry sector and if necessary, promulgation of new laws and rules. (Forest Department The Forest Policy 1994 was formulated to initiate a 20-year ( ) Forestry Sector Master Plan, which has the objective to optimize the contribution of forest resources for environmental stability and socio-economic development through people-oriented forestry programs. The three main programs of the Forestry Sector Master Plan are people-oriented program, production-directed program and institutional strengthening. In addition a set of Forest Acts and Rules (from 1927, with latest amendment from year 2000) has been enacted for management and development of forests, the transit of forest produce (regulating the movements of forest produce irrespective of its origin) and the duty leviable on timber and other forest-produce. ((Millat-e-Mustafa, M A Review of Forest Policy Trends in Bangladesh. Policy Trend Report 2002: pdf, FAO Global forest resources assessment Country reports Bangladesh Forest Department Other legal provisions related to forests are: The Bangladesh Environment Conservation Act 1995, which provides for conservation of the environment, improvement of environmental standards and control and mitigation of environmental pollution ( ;The Environment 20

21 Conservation Rules 1997, which sets emission standards for different sectors of industries as well as vehicles and sets requirements for applying Environmental Clearance Certificates. The Environment Pollution Control Ordinance 1977, which provides for the control, prevention and abatement of pollution of the environment of Bangladesh The East Pakistan Water Pollution Control Ordinance 1970 providing for the control, prevention and abatement of pollution of waters and The Bangladesh Water Development Board Act 2000 with a view to ensure development and management of water resources Afforestation plans of the Forest Policy also complies with the National Water Policy, which declares afforestation and erosion control as means of management of catchment areas. In the Policy it is stated that the continued development and management of the nation's water resources should include the protection, restoration, and preservation of the environment and its bio-diversity including wetlands, mangrove and other national forests, endangered species, and the water quality. Massive afforestation is especially encouraged in areas with declining water table pdf 21

22 Annex 6: RELEVANT ACTIVITIES OF DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS 31. COMPONENT ONE: MANAGEMENT OF THE REDD+ READINESS PROCESS. This component ensures that appropriate guiding mechanisms and instruments are in place to inclusively plan and implement the national REDD+ readiness process. Those mechanisms and instruments include a national coordination mechanism, multi-stakeholder information network, national REDD+ readiness roadmap and sectoral overviews. Potential partners include: No partner potential identified. 32. COMPONENT TWO: STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT. REDD+ would not be successful without strong support and participation from a wide range of stakeholders; therefore, ensuring broad participation of government institutions, forest dependent communities, Indigenous Peoples, NGOs and industries from the outset is critical, and this component aims to secure enabling conditions for such a process to take place. Potential partners include: GIZ implements its Sustainable energy for development 4 programme, which aims to reduce the consumption of wood, biomass and fossil fuels, reducing carbon dioxide emissions by disseminating modern forms of renewable energy, e.g. energy saving cooking stoves which burn 50% less biomass. So far the programme has trained 9,000 technicians and 500 supervisors, who have produced over 140,000 domestic stoves and more than 2,000 commercial stoves, which are used e.g. for yarn-dyeing cottage industries, saving at least 150,000 tonnes of firewood a year. Experiences in awareness raising and stakeholder engagement in community as well as industrial levels can prove useful when developing REDD+ readiness of Bangladesh. UNDP implements a Promotion of Development and Confidence-Building in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) 5 project, which supports the Government of Bangladesh, institutions of the CHT, and local communities to pursue accelerated, sustainable socioeconomic development and poverty reduction based on principles of local participation and decentralized development. One of the major objectives of the project is Confidence building to solve long-standing problems to development and sustainability in the CHT. An outcome of this objective is piloting a participatory management system of forest lands in the CHT. UNDP implements its Comprehensive Disaster Management Programme, Phase II 6 which aims to reduce the country s vulnerability to adverse natural and anthropogenic hazards and extreme events including the potential impacts of climate change. The project aims to institutionalize the adoption of risk reduction approaches broadly across key ministries and agencies. Natural hazards of Bangladesh include among others Page%20-%2018%20Dec%2005-FINAL.pdf