Carbon Forestry in the Gola Rainforest in Sierra Leone - Term Paper Example

Deforestation is a major threat to West African forestlands and a major driver to climate change with forest loss contributing to greenhouse gases. Reducing Emission from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) scheme by the United Nations is to create a financial value for the carbon stored in forests and offering incentives for developing countries to enhance removal of greenhouse gases through a variety of forest management options. The REDD+ scheme is provided to help these nations address the drivers of deforestation and embark on alternative economic development paths. While REDD+ carries potential benefits, the prospects for its successful implementation in West Africa faces multiple challenges to meeting both its objectives and to livelihood and rights of the local communities. In Sierra Leone, the REDD+ mechanism is still under development and pilot projects are at an early stages. This paper will discuss the challenges of REDD+ opportunities and implementation in the Gola Rainforest in Sierra Leone. The paper will also examine how local priorities, benefits and needs will be met in REDD+ implementation in the communities surrounding the Gola Forest. WE will also examine drivers of deforestation and degradation in the Gola forest. 1. Introduction REDD plus was developed to bring together during government agencies across the globe to address the various challenges that affected the implementation of REDD. REDD plus also highlighted some of the challenges that were faced by communities during the implementation of the first version. REDD plus was therefore developed to remove common challenges that the initial version faced. The forest is faced with a fast growing human population and this has attracted the attention of various forest conservancy groups. This is aimed at reducing carbon emission and greenhouse gas effect in the region. The forest has remained globally important due to its great habitat, biodiversity, service to the environment and the serene landscape that it provides. The REDD project has a lifecycle of over 30 years with various projects coordinated by three partners who represent the paramount chiefs of the region. Various other stakeholders and members of the community are engaged in the implementation of the REDD plus goals within the Gola forest. 2. Challenges of REDD+ The implementation of the REDD and the REDD+ plus program in Gola forest of sierra Leone as developed by the united nations has faced a number of challenges. Such issues have negatively influenced the implementation of the REDD plus program for Gola forest as a way of reducing carbon and greenhouse gas emission. First, the implementation of the UN-REDD program requires the input of various agencies and partners through their professional expertise. However, partner mobilization of the needed competencies is a major challenge to the REDD+ program especially in African countries like Sierra Leone. The management and implementation of the Gola forest conservation plan through the REDD+ initiative has also been affected with lack of harmonization. Various REDD+ initiates must be harmonized to ensure that the programs work towards the same goal of conserving the Gola forest despite the varying sources of funds. Stakeholders within the community must also be engaged, a situation that has remained elusive due to their role in the destruction of the forest. The program also faces the challenge of developing the right partnership and coordination with other Gola forest restoration initiatives such as the UNFCCC initiative (Bulte 73). At the country level, the challenge of strengthening the national governance level to enable the REDD plus policies to be accepted has affected its implementation. Gola forest conservation must be tagged with the need for development and social and economic enhancement of the local communities. This can only be achieved through the development of a program aimed at engaging the various stakeholders in the country. The benefits of the conservation efforts in the country must also be distributed equally to all members of the community and all levels of governance in the country. This has remained a challenge due to lack of adequate finance and resources to meet the needs of the heavily populated Gola forest communities. The ability to secure an effective and sustainable financial program for REDD as a way of fast starting the projects has also affected the implementation of the REDD plus program in Sierra Leone. The time for coming into agreement with the local communities has also been protracted due to various issues emerging from the local communities. This has prolonged the implementation of the REDD plus initiative and given room for continued destruction of the Gola forest by the locals and foreigners (Bulte 73). The United Nations and other environmental bodies have been at the forefront in ensuring that a number of approaches and strategies are adopted to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere to reduce the impacts of global warming to climate change. Private and public businesses have been identified as entities that play vital roles in the mitigation of climate change and thus must be involved as key players in attempts to reduce its effects. A number of measures and strategies have been adopted to enable private businesses increase their participation in climate change control measures. Climate change mitigation is efforts that have been adopted to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere and thus reduce the devastating impacts of climate change. A number of approaches are involved in mitigation measures and these includes the adoption of new green technologies, manufacture of more efficient and energy saving machines and the development of management practices and human consumerism manners that conserve the environment (Bulte 73). 3. Opportunities of REDD+ The REDD+ program in Gola rainforest has significant opportunities and advantages, which will enhance the region and improve the efforts aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emission. This program has a number of opportunities to the local communities and the West African region as a whole as demonstrated by the gains that have been made this far. Through the REDD plus initiative, the presence of the united nation has been increased in countries like Sierra Leone and Liberia. This has acted as a stimulator of development and peaceful co-existence among the local communities as the Gola forest is conserved (Peluso 669). From different ends of the forest, communities have cleared the national forest for settlement, pushing up the level of greenhouse emission in the country. Based on the agreements on the Rio and Kyoto environmental protocols, governments made a commitment to reduce the level of greenhouse gas emission through the conservation of rainforest. However, the degradation of the Gola rainforest has affected the capabilities of Sierra Leone and Liberia to abide to this provision and increase environmental conservation (NAPA 4). Finally, the total forest population in the world must be increased and all forest destruction activities currently being undertaken illegally to be stopped. Forests have the ability to absorb the greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and use them in their respirational activities, which thus acts to reduce the overall concentration of GHG in the atmosphere. Increasing the overall forest cover on the planet will thus cushion the world from the devastating impacts of global warming and climate change through the absorption of the gases. Increasing forest cover can be achieved through the initiation of mass afforestation and reforestation in areas that were destroyed by illegal and legal loggers. Greenhouse gas remains one of the leading causes of global climate change and a number of measures have been implemented in an attempt to reduce the occurrence of the same. The earth is such that it has a natural concentration of green gas in the atmosphere, though the concentration is quite low to create significant harm to the environment. These gases have the ability to absorb the solar radiation thus cushioning the atmosphere from strong UV radiations from the sun that are harmful to human and animal health. The naturally existing greenhouse gases have been shown by scientist to maintain the earth’s temperature at 14°C rather than the -19°C that would be present without the heating effects of the gases (Peluso 673). The REDD plus has also led to the development country specific agency teams that enhance the process of policy development and advisory roles to the locals. This has enhanced the Gola rainforest conservation efforts as the various agencies are engaged in policy development and advisories in the countries engaged in the rainforest conservation. The REDD united nation has a vast of relevant technical competencies, experiences and capacity needed to enhance the rainforest conservation initiatives. With the right professional experience and expertise, the local community’s effort to conserve the goal rainforest has been boosted and alternative economic activities provided. The united nation REDDS plus program has also led to the development of the multi-donor trust fund (MDTF), an initiative that has contributed to speedy resolutions and approval procedures in the region. The policy boards are also uniquely constituted to incorporate the needs of the local communities and focus groups such as the donors, the representatives of indigenous people and the civil society organizations. This commitment has enhanced the cooperation of the locals and the indigenous members of the region whose rights are observed at all times (Roy-Macauley). REDD plus provide an opportunity for the countries involved to deliver their missions and goals as one unit, a situation that environmentalist attributes to the conservation of various forests. Concerted effort is needed in the conservation of the Gola rainforest due to the multi-ethnic nature of the region and the different countries involved. With the REDD plus, the Gola rainforest conservation effort in sierra Leone has been enhanced due to the efforts of the NGOs and other Gola rainforest focus groups (Peluso 670). 4. Implementation of REDD plus at Gola rainforest in sierra Leone Gola rainforest is the first initiative implemented by REDD plus in Sierra Leone and other African countries, a demonstration of its benefits and relevance in the region. The Gola forest covers over 70,000 hectares and extends to other countries such as the upper guinea forest. A number of endangered species have found refuge in the country’s largest forest and this highlight the reason behind the REDD+ project in the country in conjunction with the united nation. The implementation of this project is viewed as a way of protecting the watersheds, the endangered animal and plant species and stabilization of the high levels greenhouse gas emission into the atmosphere (Roy-Macauley). The implementation of the REDD+ project in the Gola rainforest of Sierra Leone was accomplished in conjunction with the local chiefs of the seven chiefdoms. Landowners in the region were also included in the endeavour to reduce issues associated with societal resistance and sabotage of the project in the country. In the previous years, the management of such projects aimed at conserving the Gola rainforest was assigned to the government through the environment ministry. However, the project initiated in 2011 was implemented solely by Gola rainforest national park, a developed that provided way for the entry of organisations and programs promoted by the United Nations such as the REDD+ (Peluso 670). The implementation of the REDD+ project in Sierra Leone is aimed at fulfilling the provisions of the climate community and biodiversity standards and the verified carbon standards, which was validated last year. This will be achieved through biodiversity and environmental service programs aimed at meeting the needs of the local community and the endangered animal species within this rainforest. This project has three focuses, which include the adoption of proper conservation and management strategies of the Gola rainforest national park (Romano 14). Through the development of an enabled environment in the Gola rainforest, the REDD+ program aim to improve conservation strategies and the national policies aimed at enhancing environmental conservation. This program also aim at improving the sustainability of natural resources and the management approaches through the creation of environmental steward roles (Mayers 208). This will be achieved through proper education to the locals, capacity development, adequate planning and the socioeconomic empowerment of the local people. Finally, the REDD+ program is aimed at researching and monitoring the process of developing a biodiversity database aimed at ensuring that any plans in the country’s rainforest management programs (Wotton 205). 5. Meeting local priorities and needs of the locals through REDD+ program The implementation of the Gola rainforest REDD+ program will benefit the local communities in Sierra Leone in a number of ways based on the program guideline. One of the main objectives of the REDD+ program in the Gola rainforest area in Sierra Leone was to provide adequate opportunities and resources to the local members of the society. Such include the trickle down arrangement of resources and revenues from the program with the local members of the society (Angelsen 33). The program has made arrangements to ensure that resources are shared with various jurisdictions in the country. This has led to a sizeable flow of resources from the central operational unit of the program to the local communities and the seven chiefdoms in the country. The decentralisation policy that is currently implemented in the Gola rainforest in Sierra Leone has previously succeeded in other countries such as Indonesia and is the motivation behind this program. Other countries such as the democratic republic of Congo have developed proper legal provisions for the distribution of resources to the local communities in the country. However, the impact of the Congo initiative had no impact as compared to the Indonesian case model, a situation that provides rich reference to the Sierra Leone (Anadu 60). Most central governments’ scheme to distribute the revenues from natural resources has been skewed and suboptimal. This has provided insightful information to the REDD+ program in Sierra Leone and is the basis of the program adopted by the program to benefit the locals. To enable proper participation of the locals in programs such as the conservation of the Gola rainforest, the REDD+ program has initiated a community-private partnership (NAPA 4). This will provide a useful vehicle for enhancing the interaction of the local people with the projects thus improving their social and economic status. This project will also improve the capital, technology, marketing and technical knowledge of the local community members. Other countries in Southeast Asia have successfully implemented community-private sector initiative under the REDD program and this demonstrates its ability to change the situation in the region (Angelsen 37). 6. Deforestation and degradation of Gola forest The initiation of the Gola rainforest REDD+ program was necessitated by the alarming levels of deforestation and degradation within the local tourist attraction site. Despite the safeguards that have been put in place by the government through the environment ministry, the level of degradation has remained relatively high. This is attributed to the activities of the local communities and the high increase in population that has pushed up the demand for settlement land (BSAP). From different ends of the forest, communities have cleared the national forest for settlement, pushing up the level of greenhouse emission in the country. Based on the agreements on the Rio and Kyoto environmental protocols, governments made a commitment to reduce the level of greenhouse gas emission through the conservation of rainforest. However, the degradation of the Gola rainforest has affected the capabilities of Sierra Leone and Liberia to abide to this provision and increase environmental conservation (NAPA 4). Finally, the total forest population in the world must be increased and all forest destruction activities currently being undertaken illegally to be stopped. Forests have the ability to absorb the greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and use them in their respirational activities, which thus acts to reduce the overall concentration of GHG in the atmosphere. Increasing the overall forest cover on the planet will thus cushion the world from the devastating impacts of global warming and climate change through the absorption of the gases. Increasing forest cover can be achieved through the initiation of mass afforestation and reforestation in areas that were destroyed by illegal and legal loggers. Through the adoption of environmental friendly waste management approaches, the environment is supported and is cleaned from the wastes. Tropical cyclones are also likely to increase in intensity, which has the potential of causing massive destruction of property and life. As these weather patterns changes, the water resources will dry up while other fresh water bodies will be taken up by the salty seawaters due to the rising of the sea volume. This will result into massive human and animal problems due to the inability to access freshwaters within different parts of the world that will be affected (Angelsen 40). The forest is faced with a fast growing human population and this has attracted the attention of various forest conservancy groups. This is aimed at reducing carbon emission and greenhouse gas effect in the region. Gola rainforest is a national park in Sierra Leone that is driven by the vision to enhance peace, prosperity and national pride of the country. The forest has remained globally important due to its great habitat, biodiversity, service to the environment and the serene landscape that it provides (NAPA 4). The REDD project has a lifecycle of over 30 years with various projects coordinated by three partners who represent the paramount chiefs of the region. Various other stakeholders and members of the community are engaged in the implementation of the REDD plus goals within the Gola forest (Hosonuma 4). The implementation of the REDD and the REDD+ plus program in Gola forest of sierra Leone as developed by the united nations has faced a number of challenges. Such issues have negatively influenced the implementation of the REDD plus program for Gola forest as a way of reducing carbon and greenhouse gas emission. First, the implementation of the UN-REDD program requires the input of various agencies and partners through their professional expertise. However, partner mobilisation of the needed competencies is a major challenge to the REDD+ program especially in African countries like Sierra Leone (NAPA 4). The management and implementation of the Gola forest conservation plan through the REDD+ initiative has also been affected with lack of harmonisation. Various REDD+ initiates must be harmonised to ensure that the programs work towards the same goal of conserving the Gola forest despite the varying sources of funds. Stakeholders within the community must also be engaged, a situation that has remained elusive due to their role in the destruction of the forest (Peskett 64). The program also faces the challenge of developing the right partnership and coordination with other Gola forest restoration initiatives such as the UNFCCC initiative. At the country level, the challenge of strengthening the national governance level to enable the REDD plus policies to be accepted has affected its implementation. Gola forest conservation must be tagged with the need for development and social and economic enhancement of the local communities. This can only be achieved through the development of a program aimed at engaging the various stakeholders in the country. The benefits of the conservation efforts in the country must also be distributed equally to all members of the community and all levels of governance in the country. Works Cited Anadu, Paul. A preliminary survey or terrestrial mammals in the Gola Forest, Sierra Leone. Survey report for the Gola Forest Programme, 2008. Print. Angelsen, McNeill. Analysing REDD+: Challenges and choices, 31-50. CIFOR, Bogor, Indonesia, 2012. Print. BSAP. National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan for Sierra Leone. 2002. Print. Bulte, Kontoleon. REDD+ socio-economic descriptive analysis Sierra Leone. Cambridge: Wageningen socialscience group, 2013. Print. Hosonuma, Noriko. An assessment of deforestation and forest degradation drivers in developing countries. Environmental restoration, 7(2012): 1-12. Mayers, Simwela. Forest governance and social justice: practical tactics from a learning group approach in Africa. International Forestry Review 8.2(2006): 201–210. NAPA. News from African protected areas: Roadmaps for African protect areas. 2009. Print. Peluso, Lund. New frontiers of land control: introduction. Journal of Peasant Studies. 38 (2011): 667–681. Peskett, Huberman. Making REDD Work for the Poor. London: ODI and IUCN for Poverty and Environment Partnership. 2008. Print. Romano, Fay. Forest tenure changes in Africa: making locally based forest management work. Unasylva 58(2007): 11–17. Roy-Macauley, Clarence. "Sierra Leone Gola Rainforest Becomes National Park." Yahoo. 2011. Web. 15 Nov. 2014 Wotton, Simon. "Threatened Species Surveys in the Gola Forest Reserves, Sierra Leone." Ibis 152.1 (2010): 205-206. Read More