In this submission the Ecosystems Climate Alliance provides its feedback to the draft text of the Interim REDD+ partnership under the so-called Paris-Oslo process.

From 20 to 22 April 2010 The People’s World Conference took place in Cochabamba, Bolivia. A  number of member and observers organisations of the Ecosystems Climate Alliance provided input to the Bolivia Summit to call for a review of forest defintions, terms and classifications under the UNFCCC for the purpose of the negotiated REDD+ policy (reducing emissions from deforestation in developing countries). Without clear distinction between natural forests and plantations, there is a high risk that under the UNFCCC this will create financial incentives for the conversion of natural forests including their organic soils (peatlands) to wood / paper and oil palm plantations.

This report is intended to inform the development of a monitoring system for REDD that goes beyond the measurement, reporting and verification of emissions reductions and carbon stored in forests (C-MRV). It identifies governance challenges and the risks presented to investment by weak governance and extensive illegality in REDD countries, and provides the rationale for a broad-based robust monitoring system.

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The report presents the first overview ever of peatland carbon data for all countries and regions of the world. This overview has been produced to facilitate the UNFCCC climate negotiations in response to a call by countries for emission data caused by the Land Use Change and Forestry sector. For every country/area information is given on extent and status of peatlands, volume of the peat resource and on CO2 emissions from different types of land use, both for the year 1990 as well as for the year 2008.

This policy brief provides an analysis of both the REDD section in the LCA text (d.d. 22 June) and add.2 & 3 of the KP text (d.d.1 July) with regards to addressing emissions from degraded wetlands/peatland. Please download this policy brief with our comments and recommendations as input for the upcoming intersessional informal consultations in Bonn, 10-14 August 2009.

 A review of the immediate and substantial carbon emissions caused by industrial logging practices. Even "best practice" logging (often carried out under the guise of "sustainable forest management")  has serious adverse climate change implications.

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Globally very significant GHG benefits can accrue by avoiding peatland degradation and by actively restoring peatlands. This report, produced for the UNFCCC Climate Change Talks in Bonn, June 2009, addresses the question whether the results of such actions are measurable, reportable and verifiable.

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This submission covers issues relating to LULUCF in response to the call for submissions, by 24 April 2009, on the Annex to the AWG-KP Chair’s conclusions on Land use, land-use change and forestry (FCCC/KP/AWG/2009/L.3) of 8 April 2009, ‘Options and proposals on how to address definitions, modalities, rules and guidelines for the treatment of land use, land use change and forestry’.

Download LULUCF submission ECA 

This submission covers issues relating to REDD, which the ECA is calling for incorporation into negotiating text for consideration at the sixth session of the AWG-LCA. It has been issued by ECA in response to an invitation for submissions by 24 April 2009 relating to the elements of paragraph 1 of the Bali Action Plan.

Download REDD submission ECA