Olaf Zerbock Manager, Climate Change Initiatives Conservation International UN Commission on Sustainable Development Ma

1. Training programs on Climate Change and Forest Carbon Conservation International Olaf Zerbock Manager, Climate Change Initiatives Conservation International UN Commission on Sustainable Development May 15, 2009

2. Overview • Site-level forest carbon initiatives • Need for training in carbon project methods • Rapidly evolving international policy • Need for stakeholder trainings and dialogues for governments and • Focus on effective participation for Indigenous Peoples in climate issues

3. Projects that reduce emissions from deforestation and degradation (REDD) Two types of activities - Reforestation and REDD Forest-based activities that mitigate climate change: Projects that increase uptake of carbon by planting trees OR Reforestation Forest conservation Agroforestry systems Restoration of degraded lands Forest conservation

4. In many ways, Forest Carbon Initiatives are an extension of our current conservation activities Same Field Activities: • Working with traditional partners as well as a new mix of government agencies and private sector actors • Requires new or different skills from our traditional conservation projects Forest Conservation Restoration Similar goals Climate Change Mitigation (NEW!)

5. With REDD activity CO2 emissions avoided Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation (REDD) Carbon Stocks Baseline (without project) Time  Field activities need to use specific, robust methodologies to measure and monitor baselines and increases in forest carbon or reductions of emissions – and these are complex!

6. CI Forest Carbon Initiatives (Reforestation and/or REDD) CI quickly realized that our local staff, NGO and community partners, and government agencies needed training to get up to speed!

7. CI’s Forest Carbon Project Development Training • Originally developed for CI country staff working on site-level projects • Audience now includes broad mix of NGO partners, key stakeholder representatives, government ministries, even university students • Delivered to ~300 people in Brazil, Costa Rica, DR Congo, Ecuador, Indonesia, Liberia, and Madagascar from 2007-2009 • Respond to requests from CI field programs or project opportunities

8. CI’s Forest Carbon Project Development Training • Covers basics of climate change science, policy, and carbon markets • Introduces project developers to specific forest carbon methodologies • Discusses project standards, auditing, and project management • Hands-on training with state-of-the-art tools for deforestation analysis and modeling expected future land use change (deforestation)

9. Rapidly evolving policy for forests in climate change • Shift in international policy from project-based ‘carbon credits’ towards national-level framework for forest carbon • Renewed debate about the role of governments, communities, and indigenous peoples • Technical questions on the mechanics of future forest carbon system (REDD+) • Need for national dialogue workshops to promote “Readiness” for REDD

10. National-level dialogues on participation in REDD • Bring stakeholders together to share important basic information • Start the dialogue among national government agencies, local government units, universities, NGOs, and other constituencies about roles in a future REDD scheme • Prepare for participation in mechanisms such as World Bank’s Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF) CI has co-facilitated events in Peru, Guatemala, Liberia (and planned for Suriname)

11. Critical need to build capacity among Indigenous Peoples (IP) groups CI’s Goal: to build collaborative strategies between and among indigenous organizations, NGOs, bilateral and multilateral agencies, and governments to: Strengthen understanding & collaboration on climate change issues related to forests and adaptation Support the flow of shared information, capacity-enhancement, and indigenous/community participation Support funding mechanisms and direction of funding to increase indigenous representation at global/regional meetings

12. Training on the theme of climate change adaptation and mitigation with IP organizations Marrakech, Morocco (Nov. 2008) in collaboration with IPACC • Pan-African participation from local organizations in 15 African countries • Climate mitigation and adaptation with perspectives from both forest and dryland/arid regions • Catalyzed a follow-up REDD training in Cape Town (organized by IPACC and funded through the World Bank’s FCPF)

13. Training on the theme of climate change adaptation and mitigation with IP organizations Atitlan, Guatemala (Feb. 2009) forMesoamerican region • CI collaborated with regional IP organizations CICA and CIMA • Attendance by 50 indigenous leaders from across the Central American region • Led to greater involvement and discussions between IP organizations, governments and NGOS in Central America

14. Promoting IP participation in climate change events UNPFII meetings April-May 2008 Organized a global workshop with UNDP, Amazon Alliance, the German Mission, Tribal Link and Land is Life on Climate Change and IPs in conjunction with UNPFII with over 150 indigenous participants IUCN World Conservation Congress 3 major events on climate change & IPs UNFCCC (Climate Convention) meetings COP14 (2008): Side event with members of IPACC on adaptation SBSTA meetings Feb 2009: Side event on adaptation and traditional knowledge

15. Continued evolution of CI training activities • Adapted a community-level forest carbon project course • Piloted in DR Congo April 2008 • Developing a Train-the-Trainers course • Could be used by governments or NGOs as part of REDD outreach • Considering course on nature-based adaptation and ecosystem services

16. Thank you! Olaf Zerbock Conservation International ozerbock@conservation.org