Carbon-based Payments for Tropical Forest Conservation – A Case Study for Evergreen Forest in Cambodia

As negotiations to include reduced emissions from deforestation and degradation (REDD) in the post-Kyoto agreements are underway, study on carbon payments for the REDD projects become urgently important. Having experienced rapid degradation and deforestation, Cambodia’s highly stocked evergreen forest is the first priority forest to be conserved if carbon payments are available. Using inventory data and timber royalties in Cambodia, we analyze the costs for and revenues from timber harvesting against that from other five land use alternatives, namely forest-to-Teak, forest-to-Acacia, forest-to-Rubber, forest-to-Oil palm, and forest conservation. Annual Equivalents Values (AEVs) for timber harvesting are $8.23–81.87 ha-1. AEVs for other alternatives are$0.92–16.16 for forest-to-Teak, $0.92–16.65 for forest-to-Rubber, and$46.38–461.35 ha-1 yr-1 for forest conservation. Forest-to-Acacia and oil palm are not profitable in Cambodia due to low productivity and high production costs. Discount rates strongly affect the revenues from all land use options. We estimate the costs for forest conservation at $0.27–2.68 MgC-1 depending on discount rates. These carbon prices are well within the range of previous studies. A well-developed conservation plan identifying the roles and responsibility of stakeholders at all levels is required to ensure the success of the REDD projects as well as the sustainable development of the local communities.OtherShinshu University International Symposium 2010 : Sustainable Agriculture and Environment : Asian Networks II 　信州大学国際シンポジウム2010 : 持続的農業と環境 : アジアネットワークII ― アジアネットワークの発展をめざして―. 信州大学農学部, 2010, 31-44conference pape

Woody Biomass and Bioenergy Potentials in Southeast Asia between 1990 and 2020

Forests in Southeast Asia are important sources of timber and other forest products, of local energy for cooking and heading, and potentially as sources of bioenergy. Many of these forests have experienced deforestation and forest degradation over the last few decades. The potential flow of woody biomass for bioenergy from forests is uncertain and needs to be assessed before policy intervention can be successfully implemented in the context of international negotiations on climate change. Using current data, we developed a forest land use model and projected changes in area of natural forests and forest plantations from 1990 to 2020. We also developed biomass change and harvest models to estimate woody biomass availability in the forests under the current management regime. Due to deforestation and logging (including illegal logging), projected annual woody biomass production in natural forests declined from 815.9 million tons (16.3 EJ) in 1990 to 359.3 million tons (7.2 EJ) in 2020. Woody biomass production in forest plantations was estimated at 16.2 million tons yr−1 (0.3 EJ), but was strongly affected by cutting rotation length. Average annual woody biomass production in all forests in Southeast Asia between 1990 and 2020 was estimated at 563.4 million tons (11.3 EJ) yr−1 declining about 1.5% yr−1. Without incentives to reduce deforestation and forest degradation, and to promote forest rehabilitation and plantations, woody biomass as well as wood production and carbon stocks will continue to decline, putting sustainable development in the region at risk as the majority of the population depend mostly on forest ecosystem services for daily survival.Other Research Uni

Pathways from research to sustainable development: insights from ten research projects in sustainability and resilience

Drawing on collective experience from ten collaborative research projects focused on the Global South, we identify three major challenges that impede the translation of research on sustainability and resilience into better-informed choices by individuals and policy-makers that in turn can support transformation to a sustainable future. The three challenges comprise: (i) converting knowledge produced during research projects into successful knowledge application; (ii) scaling up knowledge in time when research projects are short-term and potential impacts are long-term; and (iii) scaling up knowledge across space, from local research sites to larger-scale or even global impact. Some potential pathways for funding agencies to overcome these challenges include providing targeted prolonged funding for dissemination and outreach, and facilitating collaboration and coordination across different sites, research teams, and partner organizations. By systematically documenting these challenges, we hope to pave the way for further innovations in the research cycle

Using Online Tools to Assess Public Responses to Climate Change Mitigation Policies in Japan

As a member of the Annex 1 countries to the Kyoto Protocol of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, Japan is committed to reducing 6% of the greenhouse gas emissions. In order to achieve this commitment, Japan has undertaken several major mitigation measures, one of which is the domestic measure that includes ecologically friendly lifestyle programs, utilizing natural energy, participating in local environmental activities, and amending environmental laws. Mitigation policies could be achieved if public responses were strong. As the internet has increasingly become an online platform for sharing environmental information, public responses to the need for reducing greenhouse gas emissions may be assessed using available online tools. We used Google Insights for Search, Google AdWords Keyword Tool, and Google Timeline View to assess public responses in Japan based on the interest shown for five search terms that define global climate change and its mitigation policies. Data on online search interests from January 04, 2004 to July 18, 2010 were analyzed according to locations and categories. Our study suggests that the search interests for the five chosen search terms dramatically increased, especially when new mitigation policies were introduced or when climate change related events were organized. Such a rapid increase indicates that the Japanese public strongly responds to climate change mitigation policies

Potential carbon sequestration in Japanese forests during the first commitment period of the Kyoto protocol

The role of forests in absorbing atmospheric carbon has been recognized under the Kyoto Protocol, which allows signatory countries to use forests as a mitigation option. Although several studies have estimated carbon stock changes in Japanese forests, most only estimate changes through 1995 or ignore carbon stock changes in natural forests. This study is the first attempt to estimate carbon stock changes in Japanese forests from 1966 to 2012, the final year of the Kyoto Protocol’s first commitment period. Forest land use and growing stock data were analyzed. Then, two models of forest land use change and growing stock were developed. Analytical results showed that most natural forest loss resulted from conversion to plantation forestland, while a minor portion was converted to other forms of land use. Carbon stock in Japanese forests increased from 857.3 TgC in 1966 to 1594.2 TgC in 2012, representing an increase of 16.0 TgC year-1 over the same period. During the first commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol, annual carbon sequestration was estimated at 15.3 TgC, of which about 77.1% was sequestered in plantation forests. Only carbon sequestration in specially managed forests is credited under the Marrakesh Accord; thus, eligible carbon is expected to be lower. When data of specially managed forests become available, further study of eligible carbon sequestration is necessary because it could provide a baseline for decision making about the use of carbon sinks for carbon emission mitigation

Impacts of Tourism Development on Coastal Communities in Cha-am Beach, the Gulf of Thailand, through Analysis of Local Perceptions

Coastal tourism development can appropriately contribute to the livelihood of the community. To date, few studies have been conducted on the impacts of tourism development on the coastal communities in Thailand. This study assessed these impacts through the analysis of local perceptions based on four criteria of tourism development—the economic, environmental, social, and cultural impacts—using a five-point Likert scale. A survey of 116 households (HHs) was conducted at Cha-am Beach in the Gulf of Thailand. We found that the impacts of tourism development on coastal communities were 3.13 ± 1.02 (± refers to standard deviation) for social impact and 2.85 ± 1.03 for economic impact, indicating that tourism development had neutral and positive impacts. However, impacts on the other two criteria were below the average scores, indicating that tourism development had a negative impact on the local environment (2.50 ± 1.05) and local culture (2.41 ± 0.95). For overall impacts, the average score was 2.72 ± 1.02, indicating the coastal communities accepted tourism development in their communities. Nevertheless, as the overall score of tourism development was still far below the maximum point of 5, more efforts by the government as well as the private sector are needed to protect the local culture and coastal communities while improving the positive impacts on economic development and social integrity

Carbon emission reductions by substitution of improved cookstoves and cattle mosquito nets in a forest-dependent community

Collection of fuelwood and its inefficient use for cooking and protecting animals from insects contribute to forest degradation and deforestation in developing countries. Assessment of fuelwood dependency can provide a basis for introducing effective measures for reducing emissions and fuelwood collection without compromising the basic needs of local people. Using a community located in Phnom Tbeng forest area in Cambodia, this case study assessed fuelwood dependency quantitatively via random surveys of 105 households and to project potential carbon emission reductions realized by the substitution of three-stone stoves with improved cooking stoves and the use of mosquito nets instead of wood burning to protect animals. Heads of households were targeted because of their main roles in daily family management. Three discounted rates were used to assess carbon prices as financial incentive for the substitution three-stone stove with improved cookstoves. We found that only 4% of the households had access to power from an independent power producer for lighting alone. Approximately 98% of the surveyed households collected firewood from nearby forests and used it as fuelwood for cooking, with the remaining 2% using both charcoal and fuelwood for this purpose. All respondents used the three-stone cooking stove for cooking. On average, fuelwood consumption was 2.0±0.1 Mg household−1  yr−1 for daily cooking or 3.8±0.2 MgCO2 of carbon emissions. Burning wood for protecting cattle from insects consumed 4.3±0.2 Mg household−1  yr−1 or 7.9±0.3 MgCO2 of carbon emissions. Using improved cookstoves and mosquito nets to protect cattle can reduce emission up to 1.1 TgCO2 for the whole study site. Substitution of conventional cookstoves with improved cookstoves and the use of mosquito nets instead of fuelwood burning could result in using less fuelwood for the same amount of energy needed and thereby result in reduction of carbon emissions and deforestation. To realize this substitution, approximately US$ 15–25 MgCO2−1 is needed depending on discount rates and amounts of emission reduction. Substitution of cookstoves will have direct impacts on the livelihoods of forest-dependent communities and on forest protection. Financial incentives under voluntary and mandatory schemes are needed to materialize this substitution

Influencing Factors of the Adoption of Agricultural Irrigation Technologies and the Economic Returns: A Case Study in Chaiyaphum Province, Thailand

This empirical research investigates the factors influencing the adoption of three irrigation technologies using a probit statistical model: water wheel (WW), water pump (WP), and weir (WR) irrigation technologies as well as their economic returns per unit of rice cultivated area. The influencing factors were categorized into demographic, socioeconomic, topographical, institutional, and attitudinal factor groups by 207 rice-growers in the Chaiyaphum province in northeastern Thailand. The results revealed that the land holding size, farm income, and water use association (WUA) membership factors were highly positively associated with the WW adoption. Meanwhile, age, farm income, skills training, and WUA membership were negatively correlated with the WP adoption. Nevertheless, proximity to a water source and upstream farmland location were positively correlated with the WP adoption. The WR adoption was positively associated with age but negatively correlated with the land holding size, upstream farmland location, and group participation factors. The cost–benefit analysis indicated that the WW irrigation scheme generated the highest economic return with the benefit-to-cost ratio schemes. The findings suggest that the WW irrigation technology would be deployed in the water management of other agricultural areas in the region to overcome the unfavorable geography and alleviate the local farmers’ disadvantageous economic conditions

Time to Substitute Wood Bioenergy for Nuclear Power in Japan

Damage to the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant by the recent earthquake and tsunami that hit northern Japan should stimulate consideration of alternative sources of energy. In particular, if managed appropriately, the 25.1 million ha of Japanese forests could be an important source of wood biomass for bioenergy production. Here, we discuss policy incentives for substituting wood bioenergy for nuclear power, thereby creating a safer society while better managing the forest resources in Japan