Sustainable forest development, reducing greenhouse gas emissions in Nghe An

(Baonghean) -The first regional REDD+ program implemented in Vietnamwith the ambition to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase the absorption of about 33.06 million tons of CO2 equivalent in the period from 2018 - 2025. In Nghe An, solutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions are being actively implemented.

Overview of the workshop. Photo: Van Truong

Mr. Nguyen Khac Lam - Director of Nghe An Forest Protection and Development Fund said: REDD+ is an initiative to provide financial support to developing countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through 5 activities: Reducing emissions from deforestation, reducing emissions from forest degradation, conserving forest carbon stocks, sustainably managing forests and enhancing forest carbon stocks.

The main objective of REDD+ is to contribute to the mitigation of global climate change. REDD+ also brings environmental and social benefits to participating countries. Unlike other initiatives, REDD+ is a mechanism in which participating countries of the Forest Carbon Partnership Fund (FCPF) only pay REDD+ countries based on the recorded greenhouse gas emission reduction results (also known as results-based payments).

The North Central Region Emission Reduction Program is being developed in 6 provinces: Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri and Thua Thien - Hue. Nghe An province in particular has a large natural area and forest area. Of which, special-use forests and protective forests account for the majority of the area, contributing to biodiversity conservation, facilitating the development of hydropower, tourism and protecting the ecological environment. Therefore, the management, protection and sustainable development of forests, thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions, is an urgent and important requirement, in order to ensure sustainable development and national defense and security.

Taking action with REDD+, on June 21, 2016, the Provincial People's Committee issued Decision No. 2859/QD-UBND on the Action Plan "Reducing greenhouse gas emissions through efforts to limit deforestation and forest degradation, sustainably managing forest resources, conserving and enhancing forest carbon stocks" in Nghe An province for the period 2016 - 2020.

The overall objective is: Reduce 15% of greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (equivalent to a reduction of 4,000 ha of lost forest and 4,500 ha of degraded forest) and increase carbon stocks absorbed from forests in the period 2016 - 2020 in the province. Mobilize domestic and international resources to participate in forest protection and development in localities for socio-economic development, environmental protection and sustainable forest development.

On April 5, 2017, the Prime Minister issued Decision No. 419/QD-TTg on "Approving the National Program on greenhouse gas emission reduction through limiting deforestation and forest degradation, conserving, enhancing carbon stocks and sustainably managing forest resources by 2030" replacing Decision No. 799/QD-TTg dated July 26, 2012.

Pu Mat Forest in Chau Khe Commune (Con Cuong). Photo: Van Truong

Recently, Nghe An organized a REDD+ Technical Workshop to propose solutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, manage, protect and develop sustainable forests in Nghe An. At the workshop, delegates discussed and evaluated the activities of the National REDD+ Program to propose appropriate solutions to update and supplement the province's REDD+ Action Plan. Delegates also studied further the contents of "REDD+ and implementation progress in Vietnam, the province's REDD+ Action Plan and the draft document of the North Central Region Emission Reduction Program".

Thereby, assessing and analyzing the current state of forests in Nghe An, the causes of deforestation and forest degradation, identifying key areas to implement solutions for synchronous and sustainable forest protection and development. Solutions to improve forest management and protection capacity for forest owners, increase forest carbon stocks; models to improve livelihoods for communities living in buffer zones and forest edges; forest plantation production and business activities...

Valuable experiences drawn from practice from management agencies, forest owners and forest protection forces at the local and grassroots levels will help the Joint Action Program with the global REDD + operate effectively. It contributes significantly to the success of the forestry sector restructuring process through fundamental changes and an infrastructure that meets the standards to receive payments from the global REDD + mechanism.

Accordingly, the direction in the coming time is: Building a system of organization, management, and operation to reduce emissions from deforestation, forest degradation, and conserve and enhance forest carbon stocks. Improving capacity to access and implement REDD+ activities. Establishing baseline emissions levels; upgrading the forest monitoring system, developing measures to ensure environmental and social safety; developing a financial management mechanism and sharing benefits from REDD+.

PuMat primeval forest. Photo: Thanh Cuong

Regarding the scope of REDD+ activities in Nghe An province, priority is given to 89 communes of 13 districts including: Anh Son, Con Cuong, Dien Chau, Do Luong, Ky Son, Nghia Dan, Que Phong, Quy Chau, Quy Hop, Tan Ky, Thanh Chuong, Tuong Duong and Yen Thanh.

Mr. Nguyen Tien Lam - Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development affirmed: To reduce greenhouse gas emissions, Nghe An province will strengthen forest fire prevention and fighting; limit deforestation and forest degradation due to exploitation of forest products and cardamom cultivation under the forest canopy; conserve and increase forest carbon stocks through the selection and propagation of superior varieties of locally grown forestry trees.

Van Truong