AFRICAN FOREST FORUM STATEMENT

ON

AFRICAN FORESTS IN PRESENT AND EMERGING

CLIMATE CHANGE ARRANGEMENTS

Summary

African forests and trees are renowned for their habitats for wildlife, beekeeping, unique natural ecosystems and genetic resources. They are catchment to many rivers and harbour many river basins that are cornerstones of economic development in the region. The overwhelming majority of Africans obtain their energy needs from forests and trees, mostly as woodfuel. Furthermore, the natural forest resources are increasingly receiving global attention because of their share in biological diversity, potential for industrial timber exports, capacity for mitigating global climate change, livelihood 'safety nets', and as levers for rural development. African forests and trees also offer some unique opportunities for rural communities to adapt to the adverse effects of climatic change.

Forests and trees in Africa offer considerable support to agriculture, with much of the  agricultural belt lying within the dry forest zone. They serve as a reservoir of land onto which agriculture expands. Most of the agriculture in Africa is rain-fed and therefore very vulnerable to climate variability that is characterized by frequent droughts and occasional floods (a sign post for global climate change), which at times destroy crops and livestock. At such times the rural communities increase their reliance on the forests and trees for wild foods including fruits, tubers, fish and bush meat, edible insects, bees wax and honey, as well as traditional medicines.

The forests and trees are therefore at the centre of the socio-economic development and environmental protection of the continent.

The forests and trees are impacted by climate change and also influence climate. The African forestry perspectives are not sufficiently included in global climate change debates. The risk is the development of inadequate, or even inappropriate strategies for mitigation and adaptation to climate change using forests and trees.

The existing Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) and its post 2012 version, together with the proposed Reduction of Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD) mechanism to address climate change fare differently under the diverse African conditions, given the critical role of forests and trees in the African socio-economic fabric.

Unless conditionalities, definitions, procedures and other limiting requirements involved in negotiations are favourably modified, it will remain difficult for African countries to effectively participate in the global efforts to address climate change, including attracting resources for  CDM, its post 2012 replacement, and REDD mechanisms.

More significantly, the current and proposed mechanisms do not appear to address sufficiently the drivers of deforestation and degradation on the continent. Without significant improvements in crop and livestock agriculture, domestic and industrial energy efficiency, wood and non-wood harvesting and processing, and diversification of livelihood options for the poor, measures to reduce deforestation and degradation through these mechanisms hold very limited potential for  impact on climate change mitigation and adaptation in Africa. For REDD or any other mechanism to be effective in Africa it should take into account activities in the full range of Agriculture, Forestry, and Other Land Uses (AFOLU).