Background photo: Ben Beiske/Flickr

Positive alternatives, and the different governance they require

Large-scale biosequestration ecosystems, sequestering carbon on forefront of climate mitigation schemes, in practice and as many different scales. Supporting strategies. envisaged, are seriously problematic these practices should be at the and more often than not default to monoculture tree plantations. At the Community forest resoration in Nepal root of this is poor governance, with Community forest management in how soil erosion, landslides and Plantations cause conflicts with communities. an emphasis on private-sector Nepal is a unique example of a floods in the Panchase region have Carbon Violence involvement and top-down rights-based approach to forest been significantly reduced by approaches. conservation and restoration. It has community conservation. [15] The

been a cornerstone for forest customary rights of communities to Community mangrove restoration in Samoa, There are, however, different ways to conservation and restoration in manage their own forests for the restoring damaged ecosystems. OLSSIN

sequester carbon in natural many areas, and is a key ecosystem- production of timber and non- Agro-ecology systems can put carbon back into terrestrial ecosystems that are based adaptation strategy for the timber forest products are explicitly soils and forests. Simone Lovera beneficial to both the people that live country. Approximately 35% of recognised in the 1993 Forest Act, in and depend on them and for the forest land is under a community- although community access rights to planet, in terms of contributing based forest management system. forest resources remains one of the towards the ecosystems themselves Community forest user groups, most contentious policy issues in and efforts to meet global warming including some of the poorest and Nepal. There is obviously still much targets. But to be effective, they most vulnerable communities in the room for improvement, especially in require a substantially different form mountain ecosystems of Nepal, areas without community-based Plantations intensify and spread forest fires. Plantations replace natural forests and Margus Kurvitis/GFC grasslands. Mathias Rittgerott of governance, with a much greater have played a central role in halting forest management systems, and in emphasis on rights-holders and forest loss and promoting forest strengthening the roles and avoiding corporate-capture of climate restoration, and the associated positions of women in these The Paris Agreement and support for bioenergy and policies. enhanced ecosystem-based climate systems. But the success of monoculture tree plantations resilience. The Ministry of Forests community-based forest Rights-based and community-lead and Soil Conservation for example management in Nepal shows that The Paris Agreement has set an BECCS is referred to as a “negative the raw materials for BECCS, are biosequestration could, in theory, has acknowledged that community rights-based, bottom up and ambitious target of limiting global emissions” technology, and growing rapidly, globally. With a involve many positive schemes that, conserved forests have contributed community-led ecosystem temperature rise to 1.5°C. But the implementing it at the scale growing interest to engage and put together, would help to mitigate significantly to controlling forest restoration is possible on a large explicit reference to achieving "a envisaged would require a significant leverage funds from the private climate change on a large scale. encroachment and subsequent scale, without the need for private- balance between anthropogenic increase in global bioenergy use. sector, the first plantation projects There are vast areas of deforested ecosystems restoration. [14] The sector involvement and emissions by sources and removals There is significant support for BECCS supported by climate finance are and degraded lands and that could United Nations Development monoculture tree plantations. by sinks of greenhouse gases" has and afforestation. Both are envisaged emerging, including through the be restored through bottom up, Programme has also highlighted put a strong focus on Carbon Dioxide to play key roles in compensating for voluntary forest carbon offset market gender sensitive approaches. In Removal (CDR) as a mitigation carbon budget overshoots, as and the Forest Investment Program many parts of the world such approach. According to the countries globally struggle to reduce (FIP). Any policy support for BECCS schemes are already being practiced Intergovernmental Panel on Climate greenhouse gas emissions. However, and afforestation could therefore by people in their every day lives. Change (IPCC), the primary CDR the IPCC has concluded that these translate into a significant gearing-up Natural ecosystem regeneration, methods are bioenergy with carbon approaches involve a high level of of new industrial tree plantations. agro-ecology, and indeed many capture and storage (BECCS) and uncertainty and significant risks. [2] This could happen regardless of the forms of peasant agriculture do afforestation, [1] both falling under likelihood of technologies like BECCS

restore and conserve terrestrial Members of community forest user groups managing their community forest in Nawalparasi the category of “large-scale bio- Whilst BECCS implementation is still actually being rolled out district, Nepal. Nawalparsi/FECOFUN sequestration”. The majority of the in a state of infancy and discussions commercially, or large-scale scenarios modeled by the IPCC that relating to CDR as a climate biosequestration successfully References September 2017] public_document-_august_2016.pdf [ Last https://www.climateinvestmentfunds.org/sites/ keep global temperature increases to mitigation strategy are similarly in mitigating future greenhouse gas [1] IPCC, 2014. 5th Assessment Report 2014. [4] Searchinger et al, 2017. Does the world have Accessed on 30th September 2017] default/files/meeting- https://www.ipcc.ch/pdf/assessment- low-carbon bioenergy potential from the [8] Common Format for Project/Program documents/fip_cote_d_ivoire_ip.pdf [Last 2°C rely on BECCS to one extent or their initial stages, industrial tree emissions. report/ar5/syr/AR5_SYR_FINAL_SPM.pdf [Last dedicated use of land. Energy Policy 110 Concept Note for the Use of Resources from the Accessed on 30th September 2017] Accessed on 30th September 2017] 434–446 FIP Competitive Set – Aside, 2012. [12] Funding Proposal Package F055 PROEZA another. plantations, which would produce [2] The availability and scale of these and other [5] Gerber, J., 2011. Conflicts over industrial tree http://www.climateinvestmentfunds.org/sites/d http://www.greenclimate.fund/documents/2018 Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) technologies plantations in the South: Who, how and why? efault/files/meeting- 2/820027/GCF_B.18_04_Add.10_Rev.01_- and methods are uncertain and CDR Global Environmental Change 21 (2011) documents/ifc_proposal_fip_set_aside_public.pd _Funding_proposal_package_for_FP055.pdf/111e technologies and methods are, to varying 165–176 f [Last Accessed on 30th September 2017] 9560-113f-4753-9b59-e93115039a0a [Last degrees, associated with challenges and risks [6] Charnley, S., 2005. Industrial Plantation [9] http://www.swedwatch.org/en/2015/11/ Accessed on 30th September 2017] This document has been produced (high confidence). Source: Forestry, Journal of Sustainable Forestry, 21:4, 05/lessons-learned-kachung [13] Lovera-Bilderbeek. S, 2017. Agents, Read the full working paper: The risks of with the financial contribution by the https://www.ipcc.ch/pdf/assessment- 35-57 [10] Investment Plan for Forest Investment Assumptions and Motivations behind REDD+. report/ar5/wg3/ipcc_wg3_ar5_summary-for- [7] Forest Investment Program Ghana: Program in Mozambique, 2016: https://www- UvA-DARE, University of Amsterdam. 242 pp. large-scale biosequestration in the context Swedish International Development policymakers.pdf Public.Private Partnership for the restoration of cif.climateinvestmentfunds.org/sites/default/file [14] Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation, Co-operation Agency (SIDA) through [3] Williamson, 2016. Emissions reduction: degraded forest reserve though VCS and FSC s/meeting- documents/mozambique_fip_ 2016. Conservation Landscapes of Nepal, of Carbon Dioxide Removal the Swedish Society for Nature Scrutinize CO2 removal methods. certified Plantations, 2016. investment_plan.pdf [Last Accessed on 30th Kathmandu, Nepal https://www.nature.com/news/emissions- https://www.climateinvestmentfunds.org/sites/ September 2017] [15] UNDP Nepal 2015, Ecosystem-based globalforestcoalition.org/ Conservation, (SSNC). The views reduction-scrutinize-co2-removal-methods- default/files/meeting-documents/fip_- [11] Investment Plan for Forest Investment Adaptation in Mountain Region in Nepal, Annual This publication was made possible due herein shall not necessarily be taken 1.19318 [Last Accessed on 30th _form_ghana_project_proposal_- Program in Ivory Coast, 2016: Progress Report 2015, Kathmandu, Nepal risks-of-large-scale-biosequestration to generous support from the Heinrich to reflect the official opinion of SSNC Böll Foundation or its donors. Background photo: Stuart Demmer/Flickr

The negative ecological and social impacts of monoculture tree plantations The reality of large-scale biosequestration: Climate finance for large-scale tree plantations If implemented at the scales planting, with plantations being Indigenous Peoples are common as envisaged, both BECCS and responsible for significant natural they often do not have legal rights to International climate-related funding project is aimed at meeting the 200,000 hectares, mainly with afforestation will require vast areas forest loss and ecosystem their land. [5] The establishment of mechanisms are already directing expected rising global and domestic eucalyptus. A leading pulp and paper of land for the establishment of degradation. The counterfactual or plantations usually involves transfers money, whether in the form of grants demand for teak. The composition of company is one of the private actors industrial monoculture tree “alternative” scenario for tree of land ownership and shifts in or loans, towards projects that include this plantation is only 10% indigenous involved in this project, and in charge plantations. One estimate suggests plantations tends to be either a decision-making power, [6] with subsidies for monoculture tree trees species. [7] of expanding the plantation area. [10] that using BECCS to limit the global natural ecosystem or a form of access rights being restricted, for plantations. One reason is the growing temperature rise to 2°C would existing land use, such as example for grazing and farming. dependency of climate policies on Brazil: Commercial Reforestation of Ivory Coast: FIP Investment Plan. require crops to be planted solely for agriculture. [4] This therefore means This can have dramatic impacts on private investments through public- Modified Lands in the Cerrado. This USD 24 million in funding has been the purpose of CO2 removal on up to that for every hectare of new tree the people that depend on the land private partnerships and other forms project proposal, which was part of promised for a plan that aims to 580 million hectares of land, plantation, a hectare of more and resources it provides. of blended finance. For private Brazil´s FIP Investment Plan, was establish 100,000 hectares of equivalent to around one-third of the biodiverse land is lost, directly or investors, a commercial tree plantation endorsed in 2013 for a total of USD 15 plantation, planted and operated by current total arable land globally. indirectly. People are often coerced from their is a more profitable investment than million of non-grant investment. The public and private investors and in Planting at such scale, at least land by plantation companies, forest conservation or restoration, project subsidised a private company some cases, public-private initially, is predicted to involve more Plantations are responsible for through restricting access to land, despite the benefits of the latter for to plant 18,000 ha of teak. [9] partnerships. The importance of the release than uptake of greenhouse significant impacts on biodiversity, exposing livestock, crops and people local communities, Indigenous Peoples private sector for reforestation and gases due to the impacts of land alterations to hydrological cycles, to pesticides, and isolating and women. The underlying drivers are Uganda: Green Resources’ long term supply of sustainable clearance, soil disturbance and use land degradation, nutrient loss and communities by surrounding them flawed accounting mechanisms that plantations. As part of its mandate to fuelwood and lumber is emhpasised in of fertilizers. [3] soil erosion, agrochemical with plantations, or they are hide the emissions of plantations. combat global climate change, the the plan. [11] contamination, and in many parts of removed by force. [6] People are Swedish Energy Agency entered into an Even in the absence of global efforts the world result in albedo changes forced, one way or another, to These are examples of tree plantation agreement with Green Resources to Paraguay: PROEZA project (Rejected) to curb climate change through that cause significant localised migrate to urban areas, leaving their schemes that have been supported, buy so-called ‘carbon credits’ from a This project was submitted to the biosequestration, plantations already warming. homes, livelihood and cultural funded or subsidised by climate tree plantation in Kachung, Uganda, Green Climate Fund by the Food and cause significant harm to biodiversity practices behind, and consequently, finance mechanisms to date: where there are documented cases of Agriculture Organization and would and ecosystems by virtue of their Monoculture tree plantations also losing their traditional forced evictions, and pesticide have involved subsidising 32,500 extent alone. Often the largest often involve significant social knowledge. [5] Ghana: public-private partnerships pollution of watercourses. People in hectares of eucalyptus plantation, to impact of plantations on biodiversity impacts and result in conflicts with for the restoration of degraded the area were deprived of land to graze produce bioenergy for the soy sector, is felt due to land conversion before communities. Conflicts involving forest reserve through VCS and FSC cattle and grow food on. [9] one of the main drivers of certified plantations. Approved by deforestation and greenhouse gas the Forest Investment Program (FIP) Mozambique: Emissions Reductions emissions in the country. The project Plantations and fire: Portugal’s extensive eucalyptus plantations and consisting of a USD 10 million loan in the forest sector through planted was rejected at the 18th GCF Board aimed at catalysing private sector forests. This project has been recently Meeting in October 2018, partly out of Portugal has a greater proportion of sparked the beginning of a long and distances. Despite the southern involvement in large-scale commercial approved by the FIP for a total of USD concern by Global Forest Coalition its territory planted with eucalyptus unprecedented forest fire season. regions of Portugal being the hottest teak plantations in supposedly 1.85 million of funding, and will activists and others about using public than anywhere in the world by a The first major forest fire of the year and driest, it is the central and degraded forest reserves in Ghana. The facilitate the afforestation of over funding to support plantations. [12] significant margin, and has more resulted in 64 deaths and affected northern regions that are worst eucalyptus in absolute terms than nine different municipalities. All affected by fires, having the highest anywhere else in Europe. It is throughout the summer out-of- concentrations of eucalyptus Governance is key! planted in vast areas of monoculture control forest fires raged such that, plantations. The combination of plantations, mostly to provide pulp by September, an area greater than 6 monoculture plantations and climate In principle, addressing climate change interest in relatively cheap or even These interests and arguments are to a large paper products industry. A times the average over the past change has been devastating for through biosequestration requires commercially profitable forms of juxtaposed with the rights and lack of enforcement of regulations decade had burned, and more land Portugal this year. multi-scale governance options that biosequestration, and large-scale livelihoods of local rightsholder groups. and forestry planning has meant that had burned in Portugal than succee in translating a global monocultures of trees and other crops Meanwhile, policy options that might many plantations are illegal, and anywhere else in Europe. environmental policy objective into tend to qualify well in that respect. be more effective, efficient and Extensive eucalyptus plantations have replaced years of rural depopulation and many natural forests and agricultural lands in local action. But global actors like These actors will subsequently be equitable in addressing climate change, abandonment has seen diversely Eucalyptus plantations are “green Portugal. Margus Kurvitis transnational corporations, inclined to use arguments that align like the rapid phase out of fossil fuels cultivated hillsides be replaced with deserts” in terms of biodiversity, international financial institutions and their economic interests with a and halting deforestation, are often monoculture eucalyptus. and are a serious drain on the powerful, hegemonic governments discourse of global biosphere dismissed as they conflict with the countries scarce water resources. have far more political and economic stewardship, claiming large-scale interests of powerful players in multi- An extreme heatwave in June, Most significantly though, they power than local rightsholder groups biosequestration is one of the few actor governance. [13] coupled with severe drought are highly flammable, spreading like women and Indigenous Peoples. remaining options to effectively conditions across the country, fires quickly and over large These global actors have an economic address climate change.