Strategies for addressing the drivers of deforestation and forest degradation
Identified strategies for addressing deforestation and forest degradation as well as promoting carbon enhancing activities in Ethiopia are broadly grouped into two major components: targeted on-ground interventions and creating enabling environment through tackling underlying causes.
Targeted On-Ground Interventions
Four broad areas of on the ground measures and a total of 17 different strategic options grouped as targeted interventions have been identified for implementation Among these strategic options, some were prioritized following a two-phase screening exercise (Table). The first phase screening is made using three criteria including the GHG emission mitigation potential, abatement cost efficiency, relevance to government development priorities as defined below (CRGE, 2011).
- GHG emission mitigation potential: Ranking was based on the CRGE (2011) annual emission removal potential assessment and supported with the findings of the DD research team.
- Abatement cost efficiency: The abatement costs refer to the average net emission abatement (mitigation) cost in case of large-scale implementation including societal costs, and
- The government development priorities: Government development priorities as indicated in the related strategic documents.
- The second phase further considered the following criteria:
- Poverty alleviation impact: Poverty alleviationimpact (increased net economic benefit) per involved household.
- Potential social impact at scale: Potential proportion of households influenced directly by the strategic option adopted, and
- Institutional readiness: Institutional readiness reflects the necessary policy and legal frameworks, infrastructure and personnel.
The following four broad on- ground measures in the key REDD+ sectors are considered as targeted interventions needed to address drivers of deforestation and forest degradation in Ethiopia.
• Sustainable forest management (including PFM, ANR, A/R, timber production)
• Energy efficient technologies, biomass and alternative energy Investment in improved techniques for agriculture
• Livestock management
Besides physical measures for addressing deforestation and forest degradation, on ground interventions for enhancing forest carbon stocks is part of the NRS as well as the CRGE strategy. The e CRGE strategy and the GTP2 has put a plan to enhance forest carbon stocks with a national target of afforesting 2 million ha of land and reforesting an additional 1 million ha of land. Further, Ethiopia pledged for the Bonn Challenge to restore additional 15 million ha of degraded lands. The targeted interventions in the NRS have thus considered to achieve part of this ambitious.
The performance indicators for implementation of each prioritized strategic options (targeted physical interventions) are based on a set of assumptions and/or quantifications. These include the total area for interventions, number of beneficiary households, investment costs, estimated emission reduction potential of the strategic options, economic and environmental benefits.
Table. List of targeted interventions identified to address direct drivers of deforestation and forest degradation
No | Sectors | Strategic investments |
Targets* (2030) |
1 | Forestry |
(1) Improve management of natural forests and woodlands through institutional and human capacity building and implementing forest management schemes such as PFM/REDD+ that maintain forest cover:
(2) Increase afforestation, reforestation, and sustainable forest management to increase carbon sequestration in forests and woodlands and expand forest resource base for economic purposes:
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4,000,000 ha 3,000,000 ha 1,500,000 ha 10,0000 ha Western lowland forest areas |
2 |
Energy
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(1) Reduce demand for fuel wood via the dissemination and usage of fuel-efficient stoves and/or alternative energy technologies for lighting, cooking and baking (such as electric, solar, LPG, or biogas stoves) leading to reduced forest degradation
(2) Encourage and/or incentivize communities and private sector to engage in sustainable woody biomass production for charcoal and firewood |
3,000,000 HHs 801,464 HHs 1,000,000 HHs 1, 270,000 ha |
3 |
Agriculture
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Create new agricultural land in degraded areas through small, medium, and large-scale irrigation to reduce the pressure on forests if expansion of the cultivated area becomes necessary (Yield-increasing techniques | 4,373,333ha |
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Intensify agriculture through usage of improved inputs and better residue management resulting in a decreased requirement for additional agricultural land that would primarily be taken from forests (productive but low emitting techniques for Agriculture) | 2,515,717ha | ||
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4 | Livestock |
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To be worked out in the sectoral action plan |
Measures to Address the Underlying Drivers and Improve Enabling Environment
Table summarizes the strategic actions required to improve REDD+ implementation in Ethiopia. The actions are recommended based on the gaps analyzed and the underlying factors of deforestation and forest degradation identified.
Table. Strategies to address underlying causes and gaps in enabling environment for REDD+ implementation mainly driven by MEFCC and jointly implemented by relevant government sectors.
Issues/Underlying Causes |
Strategies/Measures for Addressing Underlying Causes and Enablers for Improved Forest Management |
Low policy priority/profile of the forest sector |
Enhance the national awareness to the national leadership on the unique significance of the forestry sector for sustainable development with positive long term effects on agriculture, tourism, power/energy, rural development and other sectors of the economy |
Weak law enforcement of forest policies and laws |
Strengthen law enforcement activities to combat deforestation and forest degradation through increased capacities of the forestry institutions at various levels and by participating different stakeholders including local communities |
Lack of long term finance and human resources to support the effective implementation of forest sector plans, policies and laws
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Limited governance and monitoring capacities of institutions in the forest and related NRM sectors
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Unclear tenure/ forest user rights (including carbon rights) and absence of clear benefit sharing mechanisms |
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Low levels of stakeholder participation and involvement in the forest sector
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Lack of adequate incentives for private sector to invest in forestry |
Encourage the law making entities to provide for more incentives tat encourage sustainable timber harvesting by private holders and communities Promote effective, equitable sustainable management and use of forests, forestlands and non-timber forest products |
Population growth coupled with rural poverty increasing dependence on forest resources |
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Absence of Land Use Planning |
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Overlapping institutional mandates and inappropriate delegation of mandate (e.g., EIA) |
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Inadequate coordination among sectors is another critical underlying cause resulting in mismanagement of land and forest resources |
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Inadequate provision on Participatory Forest Management (PFM) |
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A/R and Restoration challenges |
Strategies/Measures |
Lack of incentives for involving private investments in forestry development
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Enhance and/ or incentivize appropriate afforestation/ reforestation activities by communities and the private sector and silvicultural practices on state land |
Technical challenges (species-site matching, post planting management, etc) |
Strengthen the role of academic institutions/ research institutes in training, research and technology development associated with forestry, land use and A/R
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