Posted on 12 October
2009 - Primorye, Russia - Satellite monitoring
of the worst fire season since 1996 in key
biodiversity areas of
the southernmost part of the Russian Far
East has pinpointed a need to make landholders
and state authorities take greater responsibility
for fires on their land.
The monitoring showed
that in the autumn spring fire season of
2008-2009, one third of south-west Primorye
– the maritime province bordering China
and North Korea - was lost in fires. Among
significant wildlife areas affected was
the Leopardovyi federal wildlife refuge
where 15 forest fires covering 11% of its
entire area were registered.
The 169,000 hectare
refuge created in 2008 is vital habitat
for the Far Eastern leopard (also known
as the Amur leopard) which has the dubious
distinction of being the world’s most endangered
large cat. The area is also home to Siberian
tigers
“This year we decided
to define not only borders of burnt plots
but also exact location of fire sources,”
said Denis Smirnov, head of the Forest Programme
at WWF-Russia’s Amur branch.
“We then overlapped
this data on land users’ map and indentified
persons and organizations responsible either
for fire ignition or for not taking appropriate
actions to combat fires”.
Results have shown that
fires did not only break out in vacant state
reserve land or undistributed agricultural
lands. More than half of monitored fires
broke out on owned or leased land.
For instance, In Leopardovyi
refuge significant fires broke out in lands
of Agro Khasan Ltd., the largest land owner
across Khasanskii district, as well as on
army forestry lands.
“To stop further degradation
of vital leopard’s habitat we are suggesting
some priority actions for the provincial
and district administrations,” Smirnov said.
“First, they need to
appoint responsible persons or bodies for
fire prevention and suppression on state
reserve lands and agricultural lands, and
provide funding for these activities. Second,
they need to rest responsibility on land
owners and leaseholders for combating forest
fires on their plots.”
The results of satellite
monitoring conducted by WWF in cooperation
with the non-profit partnership Transparent
World were presented earlier this month
to the Khasanskii district administration,
at a preparatory consultation for the fire
season this fall. The research forms part
of a broader WWF project on forest restoration
in the leopard’s habitats.
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Saving forests one of
the most efficient climate remedies: WWF
Sweden
Posted on 07 October
2009 - Stockholm, Sweden - WWF Sweden is
urging its government – holding the current
EU Presidency - to get behind an effective
international agreement on halting forest
loss as a key and highly cost effective
measure on climate change.
“Sweden should follow
the examples set by its northern neighbors
in developing systems to halt deforestation,”
said WWF CEO General Lasse Gustavsson..
“Stemming deforestation is one of the most
efficient tools wehave to slow down climate
change.”
Gold in Green Forests,
a report issued today by WWF-Sweden, says
that next to energy efficiency halting forest
loss and degradation is the most cost-effective
method for mitigating climate change.
The annual loss of natural
forests in developing countries is equivalent
to one third of Sweden’s surface area. Forest
fires, the conversion of forests to agricultural
land and the cultivation of energy crops
are responsible for the high rate of forest
loss.
A program to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation,
known as REDD (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation
and Forest Degradation) is currently being
discussed in the negotiations for a global
climate deal. REDD aims to make it worthwhile
for developing countries to maintain their
forests, as opposed to cutting them down.
In order for REDD to
succeed it needs a suitable framework and
international finance, including aid to
developing countries will be required. Potential
investors recently surveyed by WWF said
they would be ready to support a forest
carbon market if certainty and support were
forthcoming from the international community
and key national "solutions can be
good for both the environment and our wallets"
In Indonesia, where
large areas of forests are cut down and
prepared for palm oil plantations, 80 percent
of greenhouse gas emissions come from deforestation.
Halting deforestation would not only reduce
greenhouse gas emissions, but would also
secure the livelihoods of people living
in these forests.
”We should see that
many solutions for climate change are good
for both the environment and our wallets.
- Sweden’s cautious attitude in this area
is therefore very surprising,” said Gustavsson,
who calls for the government to take action
during the ongoing climate change conference
in Bangkok and secure a system to finance
the protection of the world’s forests.
”Norway, Finland, Denmark
and Germany have already guaranteed financing
for REDD between 2010 and 2012. It's time
for the Swedish government to take action
- both domestic and as EU President,” he
said.
If parties are able
to come to an agreement on a new climate
deal in Copenhagen, it will not enter into
force until 2013. Meanwhile deforestation
will continue to accelerate in large parts
of the tropics.
“Time is passing and
the possibility of reaping the positive
climate effects that a stop in the loss
of forests entails is decreasing rapidly.
Complex social, economic and ecological
are involved which is why a global cooperation
for REDD must be carefully prepared,” says
Stefan Henningsson, Climate Director, WWF
Sweden.
WWF negotiators in Bangkok
are urging a an insitutional structure for
REDD which guarantees transparency, effectiveness
and longterm financing from developed countries
in support of measures in developing countries.
In financing, WWF is seeking the equivalent
of $US 42 billion per year after 2013, a
key element of an estimated financing requirement
of $US 160 billion annually for climate
change adaptation and mitigation in developing
countries.
The scheme would aim
for a goal of zero net deforestation by
2020, with WWF also emphasising that forestry
and climate projects must also contribute
to the conservation of biological diversity
and respect the rights of local and native
populations.
+ More
Barroso falters at first
hurdle on low-carbon energy
Posted on 07 October
2009 - Brussels, Belgium – The European
Commission has kicked-off a new debate on
advancing low-carbon energy technologies
without offering any new resources to support
the debate’s conclusions. Key proposals
to re-allocate EU budget resources that
appeared in drafts of today’s communication
were removed from the final text.
While strongly welcoming
the debate in principle, WWF is critical
of the Commission for not making clear how
essential innovation and collaboration on
low-carbon energy will be supported. Without
this support, the expansion of low-carbon
energy technologies will not be realised
and so overall energy and climate security
objectives will not be met.
Jason Anderson, Head
of EU Climate and Energy at WWF's European
Policy Office said:
“In its final form today’s
paper brings little new to the table. Without
clear commitments of financial aid to accelerate
actions in key sectors, we will not see
the rapid progress so urgently needed on
low-carbon energy sources.
“In his reappointment
campaign, President Barroso set out his
commitment to the full decarbonisation of
power and transport by mid-century. But
unless he ensures the resources are in place
to deliver this, these goals will not be
realised.”
