TY - JOUR
T1 - National forest policy as a platform for biosphere carbon management
T2 - the case of community forestry in Cameroon
AU - Minang, Peter A.
AU - Bressers, Hans Th.A.
AU - Skutsch, Margaret M.
AU - McCall, M.K.
PY - 2007
Y1 - 2007
N2 - Little attention has been given to the development of national policies relevant for the uptake, development and implementation of Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) projects. In this paper we examine the compatibility between forestry and related policy provisions in Cameroon and the CDM provisions for Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF). For each CDM requirement such as eligibility, additionality, impact assessment and sustainable development, relevant national forestry policy questions are identified. These relevant policy questions are applied to community forestry policy instruments in Cameroon to analyse the likelihood that they can enhance or inhibit the uptake and implementation of biosphere carbon projects. We found that choosing a single crown cover value (from between 10 and 30%) presented a serious dilemma for Cameroon given its diverse vegetation cover. Adopting any single value within this range is unlikely to optimize national carbon management potential. The current forest institutional and regulatory policy framework in Cameroon is inadequate for promoting carbon forestry under current CDM rules. We conclude that national policy in Cameroon would need to recognise the need for and adopt a pro-active approach for biosphere carbon management, engaging in institutional development, integrated planning, project development support and providing adequate regulatory frameworks to enhance sustainable development through CDM projects. The need for CDM/Kyoto capacity building support for proactive national and local policy development is highlighted.
AB - Little attention has been given to the development of national policies relevant for the uptake, development and implementation of Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) projects. In this paper we examine the compatibility between forestry and related policy provisions in Cameroon and the CDM provisions for Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF). For each CDM requirement such as eligibility, additionality, impact assessment and sustainable development, relevant national forestry policy questions are identified. These relevant policy questions are applied to community forestry policy instruments in Cameroon to analyse the likelihood that they can enhance or inhibit the uptake and implementation of biosphere carbon projects. We found that choosing a single crown cover value (from between 10 and 30%) presented a serious dilemma for Cameroon given its diverse vegetation cover. Adopting any single value within this range is unlikely to optimize national carbon management potential. The current forest institutional and regulatory policy framework in Cameroon is inadequate for promoting carbon forestry under current CDM rules. We conclude that national policy in Cameroon would need to recognise the need for and adopt a pro-active approach for biosphere carbon management, engaging in institutional development, integrated planning, project development support and providing adequate regulatory frameworks to enhance sustainable development through CDM projects. The need for CDM/Kyoto capacity building support for proactive national and local policy development is highlighted.
KW - Land Use
KW - IR-78626
KW - Community forestry
KW - Cameroon
KW - land use change and forestry
KW - Clean Development Mechanism
KW - Policy instruments
KW - METIS-245390
UR - https://ezproxy2.utwente.nl/login?url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.envsci.2007.01.007
UR - https://ezproxy2.utwente.nl/login?url=https://webapps.itc.utwente.nl/library/2007/isi/minang_nat.pdf
U2 - 10.1016/j.envsci.2007.01.007
DO - 10.1016/j.envsci.2007.01.007
M3 - Article
SN - 1462-9011
VL - 10
SP - 204
EP - 218
JO - Environmental science & policy
JF - Environmental science & policy
IS - 3
ER -