The Philippines supports the REDD-Plus Strategy, an effective forest management option which aims to address the threats of climate change.
A major output in the Copenhagen Accord in 2009, REDD-Plus means reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation and increased removal of greenhouse gases (GHGs).
The REDD-Plus Strategy recognizes the importance of integrating forests management strategies in mitigating emission brought about by deforestration and forest degradation.
The Copenhagen Accord, the 15th conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), aims to enhance removal of GHG emissions by forests through conservation of forest carbon stocks, sustainable management, and enhancement of forest carbon stocks. It also aims to stabilize GHG concentration in the atmosphere at acceptable and safe levels.
Signatories of the Accord agreed to develop a mechanism that will mobilize financial resources from developed countries to forested developing countries. This will serve as an incentive for these developing countries to manage and protect forests to reduce their GHG emissions and enhance carbons stocks.
The Philippines outlines national priorities and strategies for reducing GHG emissions in its National Framework on Climate change (NFSCC), incorporating therein the REDD-Plus and the Philippine National REDD-Plus Strategy (PNRPS).
PNRPS embodies certain core values and associated principles such as protection for the earth and its diversity; respect for human dignity; social responsibility; social justice; transparency and accountability; and empowerment through partnership and collaboration.
It envisions to reduce forest degradation; alleviate poverty; conserve biodiversity; and improve governance through the support of international, national and local agencies, NGOs and other support groups.
Studies show that deforestration produces between 12─20 percent of global carbon dioxide emissions, primarily due to the loss of tropical forests.
The REDD-Plus strategy is expected to provide benefits such as socioeconomic and livelihood improvement, biodiversity conservation, and other ecosystem services such as watershed protection and reduced erosion.
While the parties to the UNFCCC have not yet finalized negotiations on the details of REDD-Plus, it is, however, clear to its 192 member countries that they have to take the lead in combating climate change and its adverse effects.
The Philippines is confident that while it has lost majority of its forest resources, it still has considerable opportunity to enhance carbon stocks and reduce deforestration and forest degradation.
Aside from its valuable carbon stocks, the Philippines has a strong research community and national capacity to engage in forestry projects, among other resources.
The Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCARRD), through its Forest Environment and Research Division (FERD), participated in writing the strategy.
In the process, PCARRD identified the National Agriculture Resources Research and Development System as a critical force in implementing participatory research and development on climate change. (Ricardo R. Argana, S&T Media Service)
