Much concern about tropical deforestation focuses on oil palm plantations, but their impacts remain poorly quantified. Using satellites, we estimated annual expansion of large-scale (industrial) and smallholder oil palm plantations and their overlap with forest loss from 2001 to 2019 in Indonesia, the world’s largest palm oil producer. Over nineteen years, the area under oil palm doubled, reaching 16.24 million hectares (Mha) in 2019 (64% industrial; 36% smallholder), more than official estimates of 14.72 Mha. This expansion was responsible for nearly one-third (2.85 Mha) of Indonesia’s loss of old-growth forests (9.79 Mha). Industrial plantations were associated with three times as much forest conversion as smallholder plantings (2.13 Mha vs 0.72 Mha). New plantations peaked in 2009 and 2012 and declined thereafter. Deforestation peaked in 2016 and fell below pre-2004 levels in 2017-2019. Expansion of industrial plantations and forest loss were correlated with palm oil prices. A price decline of 1% was associated with a 1.08% decrease in new industrial plantations and with a 0.68% decrease of forest loss. This slow-down provides an opportunity for the Indonesian government to focus on details of sustainable oil palm management. If prices rise, effective regulations will remain key to minimising deforestation.
Tag: deforestation
Reshoring EU agriculture risks undermining SDGs
Increasing agricultural production in the European Union while reducing imports implicated in tropical deforestation (see R. Fuchs et al. Nature 586, 671–673; 2020) risks undermining the United Nations’ sustainable development goals (SDGs). These include the reduction of poverty and hunger, and the conservation of ecosystems.
REDD+: Online Workshop Series
Key messages
- Deforestation and forest degradation are complex problems with many connected social, economic and environmental challenges. Reversing deforestation can only be addressed through sustainable land-use management and improved social cohesion.
- REDD+ provides incentives to developing countries to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation.
- Improved efforts are needed to boost confidence in carbon markets as potential sources of finance in Indonesia.
- Multi-level governance and private sector involvement are crucial to success in DRC.
- Vietnam aims to expand REDD+ to mangrove and wetland environmental services.
- Peru reduces deforestation and now includes peatlands in its REDD+ focus.
- Brazil needs a high-level commitment to REDD+ and a major reduction in deforestation in order to meet its climate goals.
REDD+ policy implementation and institutional interplay: Evidence from three pilot projects in Cameroon
There is evidence that institutions related to climate change and natural resource management influence each other’s performance, and that local settings also shape policy outcomes. We examine how policy implementation processes and institutional interactions affect the Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) program in Cameroon. Research on REDD+ implementation has focused on resource tenure, benefit-sharing and participation, giving less attention to how implementation paradigms and other institutions affect REDD+. We combine a policy implementation framework with the theories of institutional interaction to examine how REDD+ implementation typologies, and interactions with forestry regulations influence the outcomes of three REDD+ pilot projects in South and West Cameroon. Drawing from focus group discussions with project beneficiaries and interviews with local stakeholders and land-users, we find that REDD+ projects epitomize political implementation in the South and experimental implementation in the West. We also indicate how project outcomes have been affected by rules regarding community forests, reforestation and timber processing. Our findings suggest that policy designers’ ability to satisfy community preferences is important for projects’ outcomes in the South, and that resource availability and social capital are pivotal in the West. Incentives to promote local timber processing, improve forest governance and expedite decentralization would improve REDD+ project implementation in Cameroon.
West Papua, Indonesia
- Forests cover 90% of West Papua (WP) with lowest historical deforestation rates in Indonesia; WP commits to maintain at least 70% as protected areas through Manokwari Declaration (MD) & Special Regulation on Sustainable Development
- Special Autonomy (SA) status allows provincial government regulation-making abilities, more decision-making authority considering local context & access to funding from central government through 2021
- ~13% provincial GDP growth from 2003-2012, due in part to growth in natural gas industry [BP Indonesia Tangguh liquid natural gas (LNG) project] & related sectors, & government spending following creation of province
- WP rural poverty rate (35%; 2017) is more than 2x the national average & wealth is concentrated in urban areas; infrastructure development aims to promote equitable wealth distribution
- In 2015-2016, degraded peatlands accounted for 50-55% more emissions than forest clearing
Tocantins, Brazil
- Newest Brazilian state, located in the Tocantins-Araguaia Hydrographic Region (largest watershed entirely within Brazilian territory)
- Comprised of Amazon (13%) & Cerrado (87%) biomes, each with distinct environmental policies & governance
- Part of NE Brazil’s MATOPIBA region: agricultural frontier of Cerrado spanning Maranhão, Tocantins, Piauí, & Bahia states
- Agriculture & ranching represent majority of land use; private landowners active in soy & livestock sectors influence local & national politics
- 2008-2017: 947,287 ha of natural forest converted to soy & livestock areas
- 3rd ranking state in terms of number of contracts under the national Low-Carbon Agriculture Plan (ABC), with 784 contracts (signed 2018-2019) totaling ~USD 44 million in finance
Amapá, Brazil
- Historically lowest deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon, with zero deforestation during Brazil’s REDD+ baseline period (1996-2005) – low priority of federal government & international donors for investments in REDD+ activities due to high forest/low deforestation (HFLD) status
- 73% (~10 million ha) of state under protection (Conservation Units [UCs] or Indigenous Territories)
- Increasing production of soy for exportation in Cerrado biome (7% of state territory): 200% increase in area planted with soybeans from 2013-2016 (~150 km2 in 2016); projected to reach 4000 km2 by 2026
- Historically low pressure on forests creates opportunity for development of forest sector (e.g., sustainable timber exploration & extractive production)
Nakuru, Kenya: Low-emission rural development (LED-R) at a glance
- Kenya’s fourth most populous county, with a density of ~214 people/km2
- Most of Nakuru’s forests are within the Mau Watershed (one of Kenya’s 5 main water sources), & provide timber & fuel wood as well as employment, though consistent deforestation is impacting ecosystem service provisioning
- 70% of the county considered arable & highly productive (relatively high nationally, with 20% of Kenya’s area classified as arable)
- Historical ethnic patronage & conflict between Kikuyu, Kalenjin & other communities stemming from British colonial rule has led to violence & unequal access to land & resources, as well as political conflict
- Lake Nakuru National park covers only 2.5% of the county’s area, but contains significant biodiversity
Nandi, Kenya: Low-emission rural development (LED-R) at a glance
- Forests cover 24% of land area; Nandi contains 27% of Mau Forest/Watershed Complex (Kenya’s largest watershed)
- Land use activities include subsistence agriculture & livestock rearing (mainly for dairy)
- 90% (urban & rural) depend on wood fuel as main energy source; high demand for land & wood products due to increasing population
- Cash crop farming (mostly tea & wheat) is a growing form of supplementary income
- Hosts 12 of Kenya’s 66 tea factories (Kenya is the world’s leading tea exporter)
- Community Forest Associations (CFAs) engage local communities (LC) in forest protection initiatives in partnership with government agencies & NGOs
Sintang District, West Kalimantan, Indonesia: Low-emission rural development (LED-R) at a glance
- Sintang holds 1.3% of Indonesia’s forests, including the biodiverse Bukit Baka Bukit Raya National Park.
- Forest areas (protected & production) cover 59% of Sintang’s area; but the district has one of the highest rates of degradation, deforestation, & fires in West Kalimantan
- District economy is dominated by land & natural resource-based sectors, especially agriculture, increasing the chances of forest loss & degradation
- Sintang’s commitment to be a Sustainable District strengthened via Sustainable Palm Oil Regional Action Plan (RAD-KSB) & Sintang Lestari Regional Action Plan (RAD-SL)
- Multiple multi-stakeholder fora (e.g., SekBer, FOKSBI) in the district bring together stakeholders to carry out sustainability initiatives