Issues to be Addressed in Implementing REDD+ in Myanmar

REDD+ SYMPOSIUM 15 July 2016 UNU-Tokyo

Dr. Thaung Naing Oo Director- Forest Research Institute, Forest Department Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation tnoo71@gmail.com

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Country Profile

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Location Latitudes: 9° 32 to 28° 31 N Longitudes: 92° 10 to 101° 10 E2

Area Total land area: 676,577 km2

Rainfall Minimum (< 800 mm) Maximum (> 5,000 mm) Population

54.5 millions (Jan, 2015) 55 millions (estimated in 2016) (http://countrymeters.info/en/myanmar/)

Climate Hot Season (Feb - May) 32° - 38° C Rainy Season (Jun - Sept) 25°- 33° C Winter (Oct - Jan) 10° - 25° C

Forest Governance

Environmental Policy (1994) Forest Policy (1995) Myanmar Agenda 21 (1997) Land Use Policy (2016)

Policy and Legislation

Constitution (2008) Forest Law (1992) and Rules (1994) Protection of Wildlife & Wild Plants &

Conservation of Natural Areas Law 1994 and Rules (2002)

Environmental Conservation Law (2012) and Rules (2014)

Protection of National Races Law (February 2015)

National Sustainable Development Strategies (2009)

National Biodiversity Strategic Action Plan (NBSAP)

National Adaptation Progrmmes of Actions (NAPA)

Myanmar Action Plan of Disaster Risk Reduction (MAPDRR)

REDD+ Readiness Roadmap (2013) Community Forestry Instructions 1995

30-year National Forest Master Plan 10-year District Forest Management

Plan 5- year and annual action Plans Criteria & Indicators for SFM 2007 National Code of Forest Harvesting

Practices 2000

Strategies and Plans

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Population: 54.5 millions (2015) Total forest area: 29 mill ha (42.9% of total country area)

Forest Cover Status

Area % of total

country area (,000 ha)

Closed forest 14585 21.56

Open forest 14456 21.36

Total forest 29041 42.92

Other Wooded land 15080 22.28

Others 21634 31.97

Water body 1903 2.81

Total 67658 100

Permanent Forest Estate (PFE) Area (acres)

% of total

country are

a

Reserved Forest (RF) 29,619,415

17.82

Protected Public Forest (PPF) 11,718,243

6.97

Protected Area System (PAS) 9,607,490 5.75

Forest Cover Changes in Myanmar

Major Challenge

Deforestation inside reserved forest and Protected Public Forestry

1.38%

Deforestation outside reserved forest and Protected Public Forestry

2.36 %

Average deforestation at national level

1.73 %

Over-exploitation of forest: timber (legal-illegal)

Unstable or pioneering shifting cultivation

(Not permanent conversion of forest into agricultural land)

Over-harvesting of fuel wood and charcoal

Over-grazing, Forest fires, Storms, Pests

Expansion of Agriculture (Subsistence and Commercial)

Mining

Hydro-power Development

Infrastructure (road, pipeline, Special economic zones, power lines)

Urbanization and resettlement Development of aquaculture

DRIVERS OF DEFORESTATION IN FORESTRY

SECTOR

DRIVERS OF DEFORESTATION IN OUTSIDE

FORESTRY SECTOR

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Need to address drivers of deforestation (direct and underlying causes of deforestation)

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Need Coordination and consultation among the line Ministries (Agriculture, Mining, Energy ……..)

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Implementation of REDD+ under the Paris Agreement

In INDC, Myanmar has identified mitigation actions and policies in the primary areas of forestry and energy, complemented by supporting policies in other sectors.

Forest Policy target (INDC Target)

Reserved Forest (RF)+Protected Public Forest (PPF) –

30% of total country's area

Protected Areas (PAS) – 10% of total country’s area

Myanmar signed Paris Climate Change Agreement in April 2016).

Myanmar has been planning to fulfil the commitment of Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC)

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Emerging Vision

The overall goal of implementing REDD+ in Myanmar:

To contribute to green development by protecting global environmental resources (forest carbon stocks, but also biodiversity), helping to reverse land degradation, helping to improve the livelihoods of the rural poor and aiding adaptation to climate change”

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Three REDD+ Phases

Readiness

Phase - Capacity building

-Design of nationally-appropriate REDD+ activities

Pilot Phase national or sub-

nat. demonstration

activities

Implementation Phase Positive

incentives for verified

performance Choice of REDD+

strategies will depend on specific drivers of

deforestation and forest degradation

Demonstration activities have to be “results-

based” – they have to result in positive

outcomes

The mitigation performance of REDD+ has to be measured and

reported by the country, and verified by the UNFCCC

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Elements of the national REDD+ system

Completed assessment of several international frameworks in relation to national circumstances of Myanmar

Initial analyses (e.g., stakeholders, drivers) undertaken Expected to have

first draft in end of 2016.

MRV team has prepared initial design and action plan. Pilot inventory will start in September 2016.

Action plan prepared. Historical data digitized and historical land use maps under preparation

Watershed areas

Key Biodiversity Areas

Corridors (Northern and Western

Forest Complex

Mangrove & coastal

areas

Potential Areas for REDD+

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Challenge: Majority of priority forest areas are largely outside of the Forest Department jurisdiction, and are in contested areas

(Kachin, Shan, Tanintharyi)

Sou

rce:

Fo

rest

Dep

artm

ent

of

Mya

nm

ar

Reserved Forest = 30 %

Protected Areas = 10%

Forest Policy and

NDC Target

Engagement of all relevant stakeholders (esp. ethnic minorities and private sector)

Coordination and consultation among the line Ministries. Integrating into development plans

Issues to be addressed towards implementation of REDD+

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Issues to be address in implementing REDD+

• Policy and legal issues – Inconsistency (conflicts) of land-related policies and legislations – Fiscal incentives and subsidies for agricultural commodities usually not

compatible with REDD+

– Weak in law enforcement – Unclear land and resource tenure – Land use conflicts among relevant land-related stakeholders – Weak coordination mechanism among government Ministries – Lack of integrated development plan – Various Armed Organization (ethnic groups) – Transboundary issues

• Technical issues – Limited quantitative data for major drivers of deforestation (by region, by forest

type, direct drivers and indirect drivers) – Lack of updated National Forest Inventory data and historical data for setting up

FREL/FRL – Limited individual and institutional capacity for NFMS and MRV at national level – Lack of updated satellite image (high resolution) for NFMS, FREL/FRL at national

level – Limited expertise to monitor Ecosystem Services provided by the Forests

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• Financial issues – Limited financial resources for REDD+ readiness – Lack of carbon market – Limited/lack of support to local communities, private sector and relevant

stakeholders in REDD+ readiness phases – Limited incentive to mobilize financing from private sector – Still uncertainties regarding financing:

• How much? Where from? • When will it come? • How will it work?

• Implementation costs – costs directly associated with actions to reduce deforestation, forest degradation, or enhance carbon stocks

• Transaction costs – arise from the needs for information (for example, operating the NFMS; operating stakeholder engagement mechanisms)

• Opportunity costs – the costs of foregone alternative land uses (e.g. profits from agriculture for land maintained as forest)

• Limited private sector engagement – Lack of interest from lead firms – Business viability risks, including markets – Physical and social risks – Lack of traction with forest communities

Issues to be address in implementing REDD+

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Thank you very much for your attention

Matupi – Bontala Waterfall 16