REDD+ as a tool for state territorialization: managing forests and people in Laos

This article analyzes the Reduction of Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) policy process, through the lens of state territorialization in the Lao People's Democratic Republic (Laos). It explores the motivations, mechanisms and strategies that drive REDD+ policy design and its implementation in the country. The provinces selected for REDD+ activities within the Emission Reduction (ER) Program, as well as the various REDD+ pilot projects are located in the north, where shifting cultivation is widespread, but where the potential for REDD+ to address deforestation and carbon sequestration is not optimal. The provinces with high carbon sequestration potential and high rates of deforestation are not part of the ER Program due to development investment projects and political sensitivity in those areas. REDD+ acts as a tool for state territorialization in a number of ways, including: (i) by targeting the areas where shifting cultivation is widely practiced, aiming to regulate village forest uses and users, (ii) by protecting state political, economic and development goals and strategies, by leaving the profitable large-scale drivers of deforestation unaddressed, including large-scale land investments, hydropower, infrastructure and mining development, and finally (iii) by providing additional motives, tools and discourses for state territorialization, including funding, technologies and the narratives that support it. I highlight, however, that REDD+ is not the sole reason for state territorial politics and practices. Rather, the instrument is layered over previous histories of colonial and post-colonial territorialization processes, continuing a similar logic, rhetoric and management practices. The REDD+ design and its technical orientation, however, appear to provide additional motives, as well as a new pool of resources, technical assistance and modern technologies that intensify the practice and politics of state territoriality in Laos.Keywords: Laos, REDD+, state territorialization, forest politics, drivers of deforestation

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Carbon Sequestration Potential from Large-Scale Reforestation and Sugarcane Expansion on Abandoned Agricultural Lands in Brazil

Polytechnica ◽

10.1007/s41050-019-00012-3 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 2 (1-2) ◽

pp. 9-25 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Iván García Kerdan ◽

Sara Giarola ◽

Francisca Jalil-Vega ◽

Adam Hawkes

Keyword(s):

Carbon Sequestration ◽

Large Scale ◽

Agricultural Lands ◽

Carbon Sequestration Potential ◽

Sequestration Potential

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Global forest carbon sequestration and climate policy design

Environment and Development Economics ◽

10.1017/s1355770x11000027 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 16 (4) ◽

pp. 429-454 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

STEVEN K. ROSE ◽

BRENT SOHNGEN

Keyword(s):

Carbon Sequestration ◽

Policy Design ◽

Forest Carbon ◽

Carbon Policy ◽

Carbon Sequestration Potential ◽

Carbon Supply ◽

Sequestration Potential ◽

Near Term ◽

Forest Carbon Sequestration ◽

The Cost

ABSTRACTGlobal forests could play an important role in mitigating climate change. However, there are significant implementation obstacles to accessing the world's forest carbon sequestration potential. The timing of regional participation and eligibility of sequestration activities are issues. The existing forest carbon supply estimates have made optimistic assumptions about immediate, comprehensive, and global access. They have also assumed no interactions between activities and regions, and over time. We use a global forest and land use model to evaluate these assumptions with more realistic forest carbon policy pathways. We find that an afforestation only policy is fundamentally flawed, accelerated deforestation may be unavoidable, and a delayed comprehensive program could reduce, but not eliminate, near-term accelerated deforestation and eventually produce sequestration equivalent to idealized policies – but with a different sequestration mix than previously estimated by others and thereby different forests. We also find that afforestation and avoided deforestation increase the cost of one another.

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Carbon Sequestration Potential of Kpashimi Forest Reserve, Niger State, Nigeria

International Journal of Geography and Geology ◽

10.18488/journal.10/2014.3.12/10.12.145.158 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 3 (12) ◽

pp. 145-158

Author(s):

Abdullahi Jibrin ◽

Sule Mohammed Zubairu ◽

Aishatu Abdulkadir ◽

Sakoma J Kaura ◽

Amos Bitrus Baminda

Keyword(s):

Carbon Sequestration ◽

Carbon Stock ◽

Riparian Forest ◽

Forest Degradation ◽

Forest Reserve ◽

Vegetation Communities ◽

Carbon Sequestration Potential ◽

Carbon Biomass ◽

Sequestration Potential ◽

Carbon Stock Density

This study provides a preliminary assessment of the biophysical potential for carbon sequestration. Quantification of carbon stock and estimation of carbon sequestration potential was carried out in the Kpashimi Forest Reserve, Niger state, Nigeria. Carbon stock was measured in the six vegetation communities existing in the study area. Forty-eight randomly selected 20 x 20 metre quadrats were established wherein data was collected from the main forest carbon pools; including above ground tree, below ground root, undergrowth (shrub grasses), dead wood, litter and soil organic carbon. Biomass of the respective pools was quantified by destructive sampling and use of allometric equations. Thereafter, biomass values were converted to carbon stock equivalent. Four satellite imageries TM, SPOT, ETM+, and NIGERIASAT-1 of 1987, 1994, 2001 and 2007 respectively were used to estimate vegetation cover and carbon stock change over 20 years. The results showed that average carbon stock density (Mg C/ha) of the vegetation communities was in the decreasing order; Riparian forest (123.58 ± 9.1), Savanna woodland (97.71 ± 8.2), Degraded forest (62.92 ± 6.1), Scrubland (36.28 ± 4.1), Grassland (18.22 ± 5.1), and bare surface (9.31 ± 3.1). Deforestation and forest degradation between 1987 and 2007 have resulted in emission of 240.2 Mg (ton) C ha-1 at an annual rate of 12.01 Mg C ha-1. This suggests that the study site has carbon sequestration potential of 240.2 Mg C ha-1 based on its capacity to increase carbon stock through restoration; back to speculated 1987 levels and even higher. Thus, the study recommends the need to analyse carbon offset project feasibility in the study area.

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