Poplar As a Climate Mitigation Option Under REDD+

IPC 24th Session, Dehradun Nov 2012 11/29/2012

Global Climate Change

 Rise in Earth Poplar as a Climate Mitigation Temperature 0 Option under REDD+  Target to keep below 2 C over pre-industrial levels -A case from Haryana, India  Increase in CO2 and other Greenhouse Gases  Mainly due to human Tajinder P. Singh PhD activities Assistant Director-General  Industrial emissions Forests and Climate Change  Energy Sector ICFRE, Dehradun  Deforestation 31-10-2012

Deforestation and Degradation Cancun Forestry Decision  Deforestation, conversion of forests for other activities Decision 1/CP.16 (2009) of UNFCCC

 Contributes globally to approximately 20 per cent of annual greenhouse gas Scope of REDD+ finally agreed by the Parties emissions (IPCC)  Degradation is reduction in density class and biomass (a)Reducing emissions from deforestation (b)Reducing emissions from degradation  Reducing deforestation and (c) Conservation of forests degradation (REDD) is the (d) Sustainable management of forests mitigation option with immediate results (e) Enhancement of forest carbon stocks

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STUDY AREA REDD+ implementation in India

 Phase 1 – National Strategy and Action Plan Development

 MoEF alongwith relevant organisations Overlapping  Phase 2 – Readiness and Initial Action

 ICFRE launching two pilot projects  Gujarat and Uttarakhand  Phase 3 – Country-wide Implementation

This Study is part of the REDD+ Readiness with focus on potential of Poplar to the Mechanism INDIA

Haryana Haryana Forests at a Glance

 Primarily an agricultural State • Geographical Area 44,35,400 ha  Small Area 44,354 km2

 1.37 % area of the country •  2nd in per capita income Forest Area 1,59,400 ha (3.8%)  1st in per capita expenditure  Land under pressure  Urbanization • Tree Cover 3,00,300 ha  Proximity to Delhi (FSI Report 2009) (3.2%)  Mining

• Protected Area: 30,362 ha

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Agro-forestry in Haryana

 Agro-forestry played a big role in increase of tree cover

 Progressive farmers

 Social forestry started in 1980s

 Many other Projects like CFP, Aravallis

 Existence of a big timber market in Yamunanagar

Photo Courtesy: Sh. Jagdish Chander

Objective of Study Methodology

 Assessment of Trees Outside Forests (ToF)

Assess the significance  Species-wise and District-wise of Poplar Cultivation in  Selection of the Sample Haryana as a climate  Stratified Random Sampling mitigation option under the upcoming REDD+  Contribution and Potential of Poplar to ToF Mechanism  Significance for REDD+ Mechanism

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Stratified Random Sampling Enumeration

 Districts as Strata All trees outside block  Ranges within District as Sub-strata forest areas were  Six villages in each Range selected randomly enumerated  Trees on Private lands  100% enumeration of trees in the selected villages  Panchayat lands  Community lands Total Ranges in State = 68 (In 20 Districts)  Institutional lands and  Strips (Roads and Therefore, Total Villages Selected = 408 Canals). (~6% sample spread uniformly throughout the State)

No. of Trees Outside Forests RESULTS (Species Wise) 20000000 Total Number of trees in the State = 75058815 18000000 (Approx. 75 Million) Average Tree density = 16.43 Trees per ha. 16000000

14000000 Number of Trees Poplar = Approx. 18 Million ( 24 % of Total) 12000000 Outside Forests Eucalyptus = Approx. 15 Million ( 20 % of Total) obtained for 20 Species 10000000 8000000

6000000 POPLAR IS THE 4000000 2000000 LEADER 0

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Mewat % of Poplar Trees District Wise 0% Hisar Sonipat Significance for REDD+ 1% 0% Palwal Panipat 1% 0% Jind Sirsa Mahendergarh 0% 2% Rohtak 1. Reducing Deforestation Jhajjar 0% GurgaonFatehabad 0% Rewari 0% 0% 0% Faridabad 0% Karnal  0% Maximum occurrence of 3% Ambala Bhiwani 17% Kaithal Kurukshetra 0% 1% 1% Poplar in districts with high Morni-Pinjore 1% forest cover (Shiwaliks)

 Yamunanagar

 Ambala 2. Reducing Degradation

Yamunanagar  73% Reduction of Pressure on Natural Forests

 For timber

 Fuelwood

Significance for REDD+ contd.. Significance for REDD+ Contd..

3. Conservation of Forests 5. Enhancement of  Protected Areas in vicinity Forest Carbon

 Kalesar National Park (Yamunanagar) Stocks

 Mandhana Wildlife Sanctuary (Panchkula)  Through Carbon

 Other Protected Forests in vicinity Sequestration in 18 4. Sustainable Management of Forests Million Poplar trees  Roughly 9.7 Million  Ecological Security Tons of CO2 in  Economic Feasibility Haryana alone

 Social Acceptance  Assuming 27 t CO2 per ha and 500 trees per ha.

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Role of ICFRE

 Providing policy inputs for REDD+ for Poplar cultivation has got communication to UNFCCC tremendous potential for all  Starting REDD+ Pilot Projects in the States of the five components of Uttarakhand and Gujarat REDD+  Providing technical support to all States on agro-forestry and Poplar cultivation  Now plans to synergize the research efforts with the new climate mechanism

Conclusions

 REDD+ is an innovative way to mitigate climate change through sustainable development  Poplar cultivation has got tremendous potential in all components of REDD+

 Especially for agricultural States like Haryana  Must start piloting REDD+  Some of the Challenges

 REDD+ Finance

 MRV Protocols for Poplar

 Safeguard issues