chrislang

I'm a researcher and activist. Working with the World Rainforest Movement.


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VOA News - Conservation Groups Say Forest Carbon Market Critical to Climate Change Solution

David McCauley, the top climate change expert at the Asian Development Bank, says some Asian countries with the greatest market potential include Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, and those along the Mekong River and the Pacific extending down into the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu.

McCauley says the potential multibillion-dollar forest carbon market cannot be ignored but must be approached with caution.

“As you know, many of those countries also have a lot of challenges with respect to the strength of their institutions, especially in the forest sector, which, is one of the reasons that organizations like ADB sort of got out of the forestry sector some years ago. So, we’re very cautiously re-engaging. And, a lot of the work up front is going to have to focus on those concerns,” said McCauley.


| tags redd | adb | 12 Oct 2009 | comments (view)


“The adverse effects of climate change linked to a sharp increase in greenhouse gases are already being felt in Asia and the Pacific. Even if carbon emissions are capped at current levels the region faces a 10% reduction in crop yields by 2020, and rising sea levels that could displace millions of people living in coastal areas in Bangladesh, India, the Maldives and the Pacific Islands.”
- ADB to Help Raise Public Awareness on Climate Change

| tags climate | adb | 17 Mar 2009 | comments (view)


The ADB’s website still states that “A synthesis report is under preparation and is expected to be available in the fourth quarter of 2008.” This note is dated 19 September 2008. It’s now 10 March 2009 and the synthesis report is still not available. That would be bad enough if the story began and ended there. But the note about the “synthesis report” first appeared in February 2007. The ADB has been working on a new forest policy since 2000. The Bank still has not got an updated forest policy. The current forest policy is dated 1995.

The ADB’s website still states that “A synthesis report is under preparation and is expected to be available in the fourth quarter of 2008.” This note is dated 19 September 2008. It’s now 10 March 2009 and the synthesis report is still not available.

That would be bad enough if the story began and ended there. But the note about the “synthesis report” first appeared in February 2007. The ADB has been working on a new forest policy since 2000. The Bank still has not got an updated forest policy. The current forest policy is dated 1995.


| tags adb | 11 Mar 2009 | comments (view)



| tags redd | adb | 11 Mar 2009 | comments (view)


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Climate Investment Funds: Countries Identified For Scaled-Up Adaptation Funding

World Bank press release about its US$6 billion Climate Investment Funds (CIF). The Strategic Climate Fund (SCF) comes under the CIF and the Forest Investment Program (FIP) is part of the SCF. The CIF will be implemented through the African Development Bank, Asian Development Bank, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, Inter-American Development Bank and the World Bank Group.

A Forest Investment Program is proposed to pilot and demonstrate investments to support the REDD (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) efforts of developing countries, while taking into account opportunities to help countries adapt to the impacts of climate change on forests and to contribute to multiple benefits such as biodiversity conservation and rural livelihood enhancements. Following the recommendations of the first FIP design meeting in October 2008, a smaller multi-stakeholder Working Group co-chaired by Norway and Ghana met early in January to further consolidate views on the FIP’s design and plan the next design meeting. The next design meeting is planned for March 5-6, 2009 in Washington, DC.

”
- REDD in the news: 26 January - 1 February 2009 | REDD-Monitor

| tags redd | adb | 11 Mar 2009 | comments (view)


REDD, forest conservation and indigenous peoples rights: more than just money

An exploration of the impacts of various REDD proposals on climate change, biodiversity and indigenous peoples, with a particular focus on the potential risks of including forests in carbon finance.


| tags redd | adb | 11 Mar 2009 | comments (view)