International Technical Seminar on REDD Plus
Tokyo 7-8 Feb 2012
Samsudin Musa
Head of Climate Change Program,
Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM)

REDD+•

There is global recognition of valuable
services provide d by forest – bothrich and poor countries••••

Store and sequester carbon
Conserve the diversity of life
Protect soil and water resources
Source of useful products, drugand food

• There is also global recognition of the emissions from the lost anddegradation of forests particularly tropical forests• Incentives such as REDD ensure that forest are protected andmanaged to enhance its sequestration potential and c storage• CDM only provides incentives for new and additional forests (A&R)• REDD + allow developing countries to receive some payments for thevalue their existing forests provide

REDD









Deforestation & degradation contributes to a
20% of global C emissions
It is economic to reduce global emissions
through REDD
Thus the REDD mechanism formed toprovide incentives to developing countries
that are able to reduce emissions from forest
Any reductions if C emissions from BAU iseligible for REDD financing
Malaysia is interested in REDD+ as forestry
is an important sector for economic and env.
reasons
REDD+ is a voluntary scheme
Modalities are still being negotiatedREDD+ can take the following avenues:
 Reducing deforestation rates
 Reducing forest degradation occurs inpermanent production forests (no landuse change) Strengthening of sustainable
management role of toward forest
resources, and Strengthening of the conservation role
 Enhancing carbon stock throughrestoration and rehabilitation

Malaysia’s involvement in REDD Malaysia is not part of the REDD partnership countries
 Almost all the ASEAN countries are in and thus have
REDD+ projects with external funding and technicalassistance Malaysia has started implementing REDD+
1. Developing National REDD strategy > NRE
2. Developing a monitoring system (MRV) for REDD >FRIM/FFPRI, etc

 Third project to start is this ITTO project Implementing REDD+ projects in Malaysia important toEnhance awareness
Enhance readiness to implement REDD projects
Enhance capacity > learning by doingImplementing REDD+
REDD+ implementation inMalaysia will following aphased approach: Readiness phase Implementation of REDD+

policies and measures
 Full scale REDD+implementation

REDD+ Implementation Phases
Basic MRV
Implementation measures

Current Practice

SFM

National REDD+Readiness

Implementationof REDD+Policies andMeasures

National REDD+ Strategy

Law & GovernanceGeospatial Maps –LUC
Methodologies MRV

Institutional Arrangements
National REL, RL
Sustainable Financing

Full Scale
REDD+Implementation

Full MRV
Full Scale Implementation
Integration into NAMA (?)

Implementing REDD+
Malaysia is currently developing
her National REDD+ Strategy
which will be provides analysisof the following component:•National circumstances• National baselines• Monitoring, Reporting andVerification (MRV)• Institutional arrangement• Sustainable financingThis ITTO project willcompliment existing efforts

ITTO Project Summary
EXECUTING AGENCYCOLLABORATINGAGENCYDURATIONAPPROXIMATESTARTING DATE

FRIM
NRE, FDPM HQ, State FD
36 months
February 2012
SourceITTO

BUDGET
SOURCES OF FINANCE:

Government of Malaysia
Other sources
TOTAL

Contribution in
US$597, 002.00
238, 000.00
0.00
835, 002.00

Project•

Agreement has been signed by Malaysia and ITTO.
• Project differs to existing projects as it focuses ondegradation and is at the sub-national level > state• Allow us to assess if an FMU will be able to gain fromREDD+• There are already interest by private companies toexplore if states are interested to sell their carbon stocks
through avoided deforestation eg Pahang & Kelantan• Malaysia investing quite a bit on SFM to reduce forest
degradation > can we get incentives from REDD+• Improved management > reduce degradation > reduce
CO2 emissions

Objectives•

General objective > to utilize Sustainable Forest
Management (SFM) as a mitigation tool in combatingclimate change.
• As deforestation rate is stable in Malaysia, theemissions to be accounted for REDD mechanism
would probably come from the reduction of forest
degradation•

Specific Objectives• To improve knowledge on reduction of forest
degradation and enhance payments for ecosystemservicesOutputs and Activities•

Output 1: National forest
degradation estimated
Activities• Assessment of forest
degradation drivers• Stakeholder
consultations• Develop tools/guidelines toaccount, monitor andreport forest degradation

Outputs and Activities•

Output 2: Forest degradation reduced at the forest
management unit

Activities• Forest degradation at the forest management unitassessed• Assessment made using remote sensing and groundinventories• Methods for reducing forest degradation implemented•

Improve harvesting prescriptions assessed > log fisher, RIL, Max
volume control, protection of fruit trees, etc

Outputs and Activities•

Output 3: Incentives forcarbon and ecosystems
services established

Activities• Assessment of cost andbenefits of improving forest
management and reducing
degradation• Develop a scheme forpayment under REDD or
PES (co benefits beside C)Outputs and Activities•

Output 4: Capacity of major stakeholders andcommunities where relevant is strengthened

Activities• Developing awareness programmes amongst policy
makers and forest managers••Develop capacity in REDD+ and carbon accounting••Particularly at the state level > workshops, consultations etc.
Assessment of different C pools > training local andinternational

Cross sharing of experience and knowledge with other
REDD projects in the region•

Visits and study tours to assess REDD+ projects

Implementation approaches and methods•

Major players > FRIM, NRE, FDHQ, Pahang State FD• Project Steering Committee > governing body to ensure
project implemented accordingly based on national
circumstances > multi sectoral• Technical Working Group – address technical aspects ofthe project• Project Site > Pahang•••••forestry an important economic sector
Has orang asli/local commuinities
Large protected forests > national parks, watersheds etc
Varrious forest type> inland, peat and mangroves

Initial efforts to communicate with state FD on theprojects initiatedPROJECT STEERING COMMITTEETECHNICAL WORKING COMMITTEEEXECUTING AGENCY(FRIM)

PROJECT COORDINATORASSISSTANTADMINISTRATORINTERNATIONAL
EXPERTSNATIONAL EXPERTS- 4 SENIOR RESEARCHOFFICER- 1 SENIOR LOCAL CONSULTANT- 1 LOCAL CONSULTANT- 3 RESEARCH OFFICERS- 4 FIELD ASSISSTANTS- 4 GIS/RS LABORATORY ASSISSTANTS- 2 ECONOMIC ASSISSTANTS

Some Concerns•

Core issues remains that could influence participation
in REDD• SFM in Malaysia > additionality in enhancement ofcarbon stocks• Forest conservation > meeting additionality criteria• Negotiations may take path of AR CDM > hightransaction costs & low carbon value• Excessive demand but insufficient REDD funds
Carbon stockenhancement efforts
cannot be adequately
compensated through low
C value under redd+Some Concerns …
•••
•

•

Photo by GEC

Addressing safeguards >list of prescriptiverequirements
MRV > how elaborate
Validation > third party?,
review process
Succes of REDD depends
on transactions costs andprice of carbon underREDD+
REDD+ >Need to balance
between env. Integrity andpracticality

Conclusion
•

•
•
•
•
•
•

Project is exciting as it provides opportunities to enhance valueof forests
It promotes SFM and supports Malaysia’s commitment underthe UNFCCC
Again REDD is voluntary > if benefits are not attractive > noneed to be involved
Usually non-timber values – people ask show me the money.
Under REDD real monetary payment
Project’s success depends on the support of key stakeholders >FDHQ and State FD
Project implementation does not require mandatory changes tocurrent state policies and forest management practices
Support and Active participation from the beginningThank you
Terima Kasih