Canada Supports Carbon Workshop: CIFOR, Indonesia, February 2005

16 - 17 Feb 2005,

With support from the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), CIFOR will host a workshop to look at the lessons learned from implementing carbon sequestration projects that have strong livelihood components, at its headquarters in Bogor on 16-17 February 2005. Carbon sequestration projects based on land-use, land-use change and forestry activities could have significant benefits for sustainable development and minimizing the negative impacts of climate change.

If properly designed, these projects can conserve or even increase carbon stock wile also improve rural livelihoods. Good design requires methodologies that determine the baseline of carbon stocks at the beginning of the project, monitor additionality and leakage, and assess broader environmental and socio-economic effects.

Such an approach make it possible to measure the maintenance or even increase in carbon stocks, while also monitoring the involvement of low-income rural communities in sustainable forestry, agroforestry and other natural resource management activities.

It is vital that practitioners, project developers and policy makers involved in these projects share their invaluable experiences. Such sharing of lessons learned will go a long way towards better understanding the links between increasing carbon sinks and sustainable livelihoods in community-based natural resource management.

With support from the Canadian International Development Agency, CIFOR will facilitate these processes so case studies can be shared and discussed. The workshop will also provide an opportunity to interact with those who have experiences in implementing similar projects where payments of carbon credits have been demonstrated.

Workshop Objectives

  • To bring together practitioners, project developers, policy makers, and researchers to share knowledge, lessons-learned, and best practices related to implementing projects focused on carbon sequestration and sustainable livelihoods.
  • To provide up-to-date information on the requirements of both mandatory and voluntary carbon markets, and guidance on what project partners would need to do on order to benefit from these markets. This is particularly relevant to the future direction of payment mechanisms with large carbon credit components.
  • The workshop may also be broadened to examine how the provision of ecosystem services — including watershed and biodiversity protection – might be financially compensated. Links could also be made to the development of adaptation strategies and measures, especially for ecosystems that are vulnerable to climate change.

Expected Outcomes

We expect to be able to answer the following frequently asked questions:

  • How successful have projects been in establishing or strengthening community-based natural resource management systems that promote climate change mitigation and improve livelihoods?
  • How have the progress and results achieved been reported and quantified?
  • How can research and extension agencies make their methodologies, tools and training materials more appropriate for rural communities?
  • How can the sale of ecosystem services and certified emission reduction credits through mandatory or voluntary markets be better facilitated to attract potential donors and investor interest?
  • What needs to be done at various government levels to encourage the replication and expansion of these types of programs?

For more information, please download the brochure (PDF, 167KB)