Afforestation JI project in Romania- a possible approach on LULUCF JI projects -

Vlad TruscaMember of the JISC, UNFCCC National Focal Point

Ministry of Environment and Water Management - Romania

UNFCCC Technical Workshop on Joint Implementation

Bonn, 9-10 March 2006

National Conditions on Afforestation Afforestation – the direct human-induced conversion of land that has not been

forested for a period of at least 50 years to forested land through planting, seeding and the human-induced promotion of natural seed sources (Decision 16/CMP.1)

Romania has a present policy of large-scale afforestation (100,000 ha) based on: – laws related to the forestry sector and the environment (e.g. Forest Act)– international agreements (e.g. Agreement on Danube Green Corridor) – national strategies (e.g. National Strategy and Action Plan on Sustainable

Development, National Forest Policy and Strategy, and National Strategy for Combating Drought,, Land Degradation and Desertification)

National Forest Administration (NFA) manages about 60% of all forested areas Estimated 3 million ha of degraded agricultural lands (since the `60s overworked

for producing cereals, grapes, fruits and vegetables, lack of investment in infrastructure → uneconomic) – used as pastures or simply abandoned

~400 ha - average annual afforestation rate of degraded lands in the last decade

Afforestation JI Project - overview

The first and only LULUCF related JI project in the world (synergy on Rio Conv.) Objective: Afforestation of ~ 6500 ha degraded agricultural soils (6000 ha

transformed from agricultural lands-to be afforested, 500 ha ecological reconstruction-Small Island of Braila) from 7 counties in SW and SE of Romania

Legal basis: Host Country Agreement between Romania and the World Bank as a Trustee for the Prototype Carbon Fund

Approved: by the MEWM and the National Commission on Climate Change (inter-ministerial consultative body) in 2003 – Letter of approval July 2003

Participants: ERPA between National Forest Administration – Romsilva and World Bank signed in September 2003

Documentation: PDD, BS and MP available on the World Bank PCF website Reduction of ~ 850,000 tCO2 (in the period 2002-2017) to be transferred to WB

Afforestation JI Project - location

Abandoned, degraded agricultural lands, improper for agricultural use All areas to be afforested are state-owned administered directly by the National

Forest Administration (NFA) through its territorial branches (forest districts) or under the administration of the State Domain Agency (SDA)

Afforestation JI Project - methodology Planting of local species based on specific conditions on the site and targeted

objectives: Robinia pseudoaccacia, oak, and other broad leaf species In the Small Island of Braila (Ramsar site) - native species: Populus alba,

Populus nigra, Salix sp. and Quercus sp. Baseline scenario – most likely land scenario for the selected area. Several

reasonable project alternatives have been selected, representing a possible use of the land to be included in the project: – low quality pasture, grain and fruit crops– status quo (continued abandonment and degradation) – afforestation at the historical (very slow) pace

Additionality – consideration of historical evidence and comparison of the financial merits of alternative land-use options (lack of financing from NFA)

Leakage would occur if the project, directly or indirectly, caused losses in forest cover or carbon storage (unlikely to occur on significant scale, due to the fact that people using the land for economic purposes is very limited)

Compensating measures for local people for reducing the grazing land and causing them to move to new locations – Japanese grant (500,000 US$)

Afforestation JI Project - financing and monitoring

Total investment cost: 10.3 million US$ Financed by two Romanian special funds:

– Reclamation Fund– Forest Regeneration and Conservation Fund

Transfer of ERs (RMUs) ~ 850,000 to WB Price per ER – 3.6 US$ (2002-2017) Carbon credits – financial incentive for NFA to undertake present and future

afforestation activities Monitoring – every 5 years by the Research Institute on Forestry (first 2007) Monitoring – 3 components (C/CO2 removals, biodiversity, social aspects) Monitoring Plan – based on LULUCF GPG of IPCC

Afforestation JI Project - benefitsSpecific environmental benefits contribute to sustainable development and positive local impact create multifunctional forests on former agricultural lands or abandoned pastures increase the forested areas of the SW and SE counties reduce surface erosion maintain and improve the biodiversity and ensure soil and water protection improve and recreate proper habitat conditions for wilderness (fauna, flora) In the Danube Small Island of Braila, the poplar plantations are part of a larger

project to protect bird populations in the lower Danube River corridor

Specific social benefits provide employment for local people (planting and maintenance works) improve the land use by creating multifunctional forests and diversifying the type

of incomes (wood, hunting, forest fruits, medicinal plants, honey production) create a source of fuel wood (carbon neutral) and construction wood in the area

(longer life cycle of forest wood products) protection of agricultural crops against negative natural factors

Afforestation JI Project - status

Afforestation (the “construction” phase) projected to finish by 2005 Due to high level of Danube in 2005 ~ 200 ha to be planted in 2006 Succession of works implemented in each area: site/soil preparation,

seedling plantation and maintenance/tending

operations for new plantations until the stage of

canopy closure (up to five years after planting) Achieved CO2 removals ~ 46,000 tCO2 (75%) Initial estimates CO2 removals ~ 60,000 tCO2

Difference due to droughts (2003) and floods (2004, 2005) Payment received from PCF until 2005 ~ 165,000 US$ (removals

estimation performed after annual vegetation season) Strict establishment of actual removals achieved – first monitoring 2007

Thank you

For more information:

Vlad Trusca, Senior Advisor-Ministry of Environmentnew email: vlad.trusca@mmediu.ro

Ciprian Pahontu, Director-Ministry of Agricultureemail: ciprian.pahontu@maa.ro