CLIMATE UPDATE III: UNFCCC might undermine progress made at the CBD

 Published by Fern 20.10.00

PLEASE SIGN ON

NGO plea to the secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) to ensure decisions expected to be taken at the Sixth Conference of the Parties (COP) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (FCCC) will not pose a threat to forest biological diversity and forest peoples. Fern and FPP have drafted a letter to the secretariat of the CBD, highlighting these threats and demanding demand the CBD secretariat to ensure that the decisions of the CBD are recognised and incorporated into the decisions taken at The Hague on the implementation of the Kyoto Protocol.

The proposed granting of credits for offsetting CO2 emissions in return for investments in carbon sequestration projects is already leading to the promotion of large-scale tree plantations (see FoEI, WRM, Fern report ‘Tree Trouble’ available at Fern's website). These large-scale plantations are a threat to communities and ecosystems the world over. The report shows that many large scale tree plantations created as carbon sinks, contribute to encroachement on agricultural lands, replacing or simplifying native ecosystems, worsen inequity in land ownership, increase poverty, lead to evictions of local

peoples and undermine local stewardship practices needed for forest conservation. They certainly do not contribute to biodiversity conservation.

Furthermore, given that climate change is one of the greatest threats to the conservation of biodiversity, a decision to allow industrialised countries to offset the need for major reductions in emissions through the creation of a global market in carbon credits will have considerable costs for biodiversity and sustainable development in years to come. And this is precisely what might be decided at COP6 in The Hague. In this regard, the Parties of the CBD expressed concern during COP5 of the CBD. Paragraph 16 of decision V/4 Urges parties to the climate change convention to ensure that its future activities are consistent with and supportive of the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity.

To date, however, discussions on the impacts on biodiversity of proposals regarding forests under the Kyoto Protocol have been minimal. This is why Fern and FPP have drafted the attached letter asking the CBD secretariat to ensure consistency between the CBD objectives and the outcome of the Climate Change negotiations relating to forests and associated ecosystems. In addition it was requested that progress made under the CBD in recognition of the roles and rights of indigenous peoples and local communities be recalled; in particular the need to ensure the full and effective participation of indigenous peoples and local communities within the climate change debate. Finally it was expressed that the secretariat of the CBD should take a leading role during COP6 in The Hague in emphasising the importance of integrating the CBD objectives and decisions into the Kyoto Protocol in accordance with the decisions taken by Parties during the CBD’s COP5.

Please sign on to this letter ­attached-,which we will send to the secretariat of the CBD and CBD focal points at the beginning of next week. We would like to here from you by the 27^th of October.

Thanks for your support

Sofia, Jutta and Saskia