forestry indaba 2010 october 12-14, mpumalanga · placeholder: brief on 3 countries climate change...

Forestry and Climate Change : A

Regional Perspective

Forestry Indaba 2010Forestry Indaba 2010

October 12October 12--14, Mpumalanga 14, Mpumalanga

H.O. Kojwang PhD

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Placeholder: brief on 3 countries

Climate Change - Should we be worried ?

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� At 2.5 – 3 0C increase – productivity in savannas trees decline with

drying. Some savanna trees die at extreme temperatures

� C4 Plant survive better (eg sugar cane, reeds)

�With 1-2 0C increase above 1990 levels – 40-50 % loss of plant

endemic species richness

�With 2.5 – 3 0C increase –

oExtinction of 10 % of endemic plants,

oSucculent Karoo could be reduced by 80%

oSome parks could loose 40% plant species

o40 – 50% loss of the fynbos

oKruger could loose 66% of species

Ref : Lobovikov 2009, Clare 2009


Climate Change in the Context of Forest

Management in SADC

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�Large Forest Reserves provide products & services such as climate

regulation, repositories of biological diversity, genetic resources.

�Resilience to disturbances works better in sufficiently large areas –

chronic or episodic events

�Protection of key water towers such as Zambia and Angola –

Zambezi, Kunene, Kavango, Cuando River Catchments

�Carbon sequestration – a mitigation factor against global warming

since deforestation and forest degradation is responsible for about

20% of total global emissions of GHG


It is mainly twofold:

i) Adapting forests to climatic changes – predictions / projections

by modeling current trends – Implications to production /

productivity

�Fire management - dealing with increasing fire risk

�Disease spread as a result of predisposition by the physical

environment

�Expansion of range – Pests, Vectors, Diseases

�Increase in aggressiveness or virulence in diseases

�Breeding – tree improvement - as a major response

�Matching provenances to sites – critical to maintain productivity

Responses to Climate Adaptation to Climate

Change

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ii) Using Forest Ecosystems to facilitate adaptation

�Escape corridors for plants and animals

�Resilience - to the extent that it is affected by size

�Repository of genetic variability

�Providing ecological connectivity

�Catchment protection under threat of increasing water deficits

�Carbon sequestration

Adaptation

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�The Forestry Protocol which came into force in 2009

�A Regional Forestry Strategy that was developed in 2009 – 2010

�A SADC Programme on REDD - 2010

Developments in SADC

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ii) Using Forest Ecosystems as a way of facilitating adaptation

�Escape corridors for plants and animals

�Resilience as a factor of size

�Repository of genetic variability

�Providing ecological connectivity

�Catchment protection under threat of increasing water deficits

�Carbon sequestration

Adaptation

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� Promote the development, conservation and sustainable

management and utilisation of all types of forests and trees

� Promote trade in forest products throughout the Region, in order to

alleviate poverty and generate economic opportunities for the peoples

of the Region; and

� Achieve effective protection of the environment, and safeguard the

interest of both present and future generations

SADC Protocol on Forestry : Objectives

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Strategic Programme Areas

� Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation

� Protection of Key Catchment Forests and other ecosystem services –

invasive species

� Forestry and poverty reduction – Increased trade, value addition

� Community forest management

� Fire management and cross-border cooperation

� Forest Assessments & regional database

� Capacity development

� Cross-cutting – Policies, laws, gender

Regional Forestry Strategy : An

implementation Mechanism

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Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation – Engagement in

International Processes

�Objective: To improve the capacity of SADC member

states to engage in International Processes and also have

viable adaptation and mitigation projects in the forest sector

�Results – participation in int’l processes, increase in CDM

eligible plantations, REDD projects, REDD expertise in the

region, adaptation projects e.g. ecological corridors



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Protection of Key Catchment Forests

�Objective: To safeguard and enhance the capacity of

SADC forests to mitigate the effects of climate change and

protect key water catchment areas

�Results: e.g. proclamation of catchment forests in DRC and

Angola, additional new ecosystems under protection,



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• Forestry - poverty reduction context

�Objective: To increase / enhance production levels from

natural and man-made forests to create more employment

and help reduce poverty

�Results: new manufacturing, new eco-friendly plantations &

food security investments, plantation and bio-fuels policies,

increased production of NTFPs



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� Political support for the Implementation of the Protocol on

Forestry, particularly on issues of regional interesto Water towers (catchment forests)

o Support Payment for Environmental Services (PES) schemes

o Increased intra-regional trade

o Value added manufacturing in forest rich countries

� Initiate REDD+ related Projects o Getting into REDD readiness – Identifying drivers, estimating reference levels

o Enhancement of carbon stocks in degraded forests

o Seek opportunities for CDM projects – South African Private Capital

o Active engagement in international REDD Processes UNREDD, FCPF

� Concentrate on poverty reduction and increased production as

a coping strategy in a climate change vulnerable region

Policy Responses in SADC Countries

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