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Before 2006, Zambia had few reliable national estimates of its forests. But the 2005-2008 Integrated Land Use Assessment (ILUA I) gave the country a valuable and reliable snapshot of the size, variety, health, value, and carbon content of its forests. Now, Zambia is launching its second survey (ILUA II). This time the results will provide more than just a snapshot—they will provide evidence of progress. Zambia is using the ILUA I data as a baseline to show how various aspects of its forests have changed. ILUA II incorporates requirements for measurement, reporting, and verification (MRV) of greenhouse gas emissions from forests. MRV is a requirement for countries to participate in REDD+, a climate change initiative that provides financial incentives for developing countries to protect forests, thereby maintaining their ability to store and sequester carbon. Therefore, including MRV as part of ILUA II will help Zambia’s participation in REDD+.
Forests absorb and store large amounts of carbon, which is stored in trees, ground litter and soil. When forests are destroyed or degraded, or used for other purposes, they release the absorbed carbon into the atmosphere in the form of greenhouse gases, exacerbating climate change. Ensuring sustainable management of forests is critical to global climate change adaptation and mitigation efforts.
Since 1990, Zambia has lost more than 13% of its forest cover, at times up to 300,000 hectares per year, and has one of the highest deforestation rates in the world. One of the main reasons for this is poverty. Poor people are often forced to cut down forests to make room for food crops, or to use trees to make wood or charcoal for domestic use or to sell for income. In 2010, with support from FAO, Zambia took the initial steps towards becoming a partner of the United Nations Collaborative Programme on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Developing Countries (UN-REDD). The programme is currently supporting countries in developing national REDD+ strategies – the “+” standing for conservation and enhancement of carbon stocks and sustainable management of forests. REDD+ strategies aim to incentivize developing countries to conserve, better manage and wisely use their forest resources, contributing to the global fight against climate change. REDD+ establishes monitoring systems, engages stakeholders and assesses the multiple benefits of forests. By creating an economic value for the carbon stored by trees, REDD+ aims to tip the balance towards sustainable forest management, so that the environmental and social goods and services of forests benefit countries, communities, biodiversity and forest users, while also contributing to significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.
Survey sets baseline to measure Zambia’s progress
Since 2005, FAO has been working with the Zambian government on the country’s first national forest survey since the 1960s. The survey, an integrated land use assessment (ILUA I), is wide-ranging and forms the basis for long-term land use and forest monitoring at the national level. Nine teams assessed 250 permanent sample plots across the country, with the government providing staff and vehicles and FAO providing technical expertise.
The stakes are higher for ILUA II, Zambia’s second land use assessment survey. Using ILUA I as a baseline, the follow-up survey will show changes in land use and cover over time and demonstrate the viability of Zambia’s MRV system for calculating forest-based greenhouse gas emissions – two key requirements of REDD+. FAO is again providing technical support for the design of ILUA II, which aims to assess some 4,000 sampling sites across Zambia through a trained team to meet REDD+ requirements.
With ILUA I, Zambia will be able to strengthen its long-term monitoring structure and synchronize it with other REDD+-related activities. With ILUA II, Zambia will be able to show how much carbon it actually sequesters, allowing it to participate in any REDD+ program decided in the future.
ILUA II includes socioeconomic and household data
ILUA II goes beyond the requirements of REDD+ MRV. It contains a cross-sectoral element, including the collection of socio-economic data from forest communities. In addition to measuring tree diameters and heights, and identifying pests and other forest threats, the ILUA II survey team will collect data from households and forest user groups in the community.
Having baseline data on the quality of life of communities will provide a fuller picture of the benefits that forests provide, such as medicine and fuel, and support for cultural traditions, that are not usually reflected in GDP. ILUA II also includes issues of land tenure and use rights, which will need to be monitored over time to ensure they are protected.
This information will be used to guide potential safeguards and information systems, helping to ensure that community rights are respected in any performance-based deforestation compensation. For Zambia, socioeconomic data will help understand where and why forest degradation is occurring, and how local natural resource management policies affect women and men differently. This will inform policymakers to develop specific and appropriate policies to improve the management of Zambia’s forests while ensuring that local livelihoods are improved.
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