Environmental governance is in a state of change throughout the developing world. Power and author – ity are shifting from national offices to global and regional fora and to local user groups. Regulatory approaches to environmental management are gradually being augmented by incentive- and market- based approaches. Private organizations and firms are becoming more involved in the provision of such environmental goods as water, energy and timber, and environmental services like conservation and watershed protection. Forest conservation is no longer seen as the only appropriate means to achieve environmental conservationm, nor is afforestation seen as the only way to reverse environmental dam – age. Integrated approaches to ecosystem and landscape management, which include local residents as important partners, are being given more emphasis. These trends are creating new opportunities and constraints for agroforestry. While there are very few pieces of legislation or rural institutions that focus solely on agroforestry, there are many laws and rural institutions that shape farmers’ incentives to plant and manage trees in their agricultural landscapes. This chapter reviews the five policy issues that have greatest impact on agroforestry: land and tree tenure, forest classification, biodiversity and forest con – servation, environmental service reward mechanisms, and global environmental governance. Targeted applied research and engagement in local policy processes increases the beneficial impacts of agro – forestry development within local policy terrains and contributes to policy reform at the national and global levels.
Tag: environmental policies
Agroforestry: a practical option for upland development
By their very nature, the uplands are considered as the most vulnerable areas for soil degradation. Particulary in the tropics, soil degradation has been identified as the primary root cause of poverty among upland communities who depend largely on the soil for survival and livelihood. The very diverse characteristics of uplands in terms of soil resources, slope and temparature present a big challenge for the upland development and Natural resouce management
Advances in Agricultural GHG measurement and monitoring: implications for policy makers
Agricultural landscapes support rural livelihoods, produce food, fiber and energy, and deliver a wide array of ecosystem services. Agricultural practices, including expansion into forest lands, are a major source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Yet, agriculture can also mitigate GHG emissions through the reduction of nitrous oxide and methane emissions, as well as through carbon sequestration, particularly in the developing world. Despite significant mitigation potential of a range of agricultural practices, limited awareness and low confidence in monitoring of agricultural interventions has inhibited inclusion of agriculture in climate change policy and emissions offset markets. Some examples include the UNFCCC process and domestic cap-and-trade legislation. Sub-national systems, such as the California Action Registry, offer further opportunities for gaining experience with agricultural GHG offsets
African regional expert workshop on sustainable use of biological diversity, UN Offices in Nairobi, 12-15 December 2006
The main objective of the workshop was to develop recommendations on the application of the Addis Ababa Principles and Guidelines for the Sustainable Use of Biodiversity to agricultural biodiversity. Secondary objectives were to inform African parties of key terms related to ecosystem management: (1) Ecosystem services assessment and adaptive management; and (2) Financial costs and benefits associated with the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity. The material developed at this workshop will be incorporated into the outputs of the other regional workshops and prepared for the SBSTTA meeting in early 2008 and later submitted to the COP.
Recalibrating China’s environmental policy: The next 10 years
Just after its once-a-decade leadership transition, China faces the cumulative consequences of the 30-year drive to grow its economy with scant attention paid to mounting ecological and social costs. A survey of six main stressors in China – ecosystem degradation, food security, energy, water, urbanization and climate change – reveals that domestic environmental policies are inadequate and need to be reformed. China’s ecosystems remain subject to widespread degradation and food insecurity is increasing. There are growing conflicts over water quality and quantity, and energy demand is rising rapidly. Urbanization is set to power future growth in China, yet sustainable urban planning cannot proceed without fundamental environmental and social policy reforms. Climate change is already negatively impacting China and is projected to grow in strength. China’s new leaders must act soon to recalibrate environmental policies across all these sectors. In addition, they must address the lack of interdisciplinary problem-framing and gaps between central government policy and local level implementation. While many sectoral solutions are already in progress, over the next decade and beyond, institutional reform across the country’s social–ecological systems will be key to solving China’s environmental problems.