Synergies among climate change and biodiversity conservation measures and policies in the forest sector: A case study of Southeast Asian countries.
07/11/18 02:40PM
Kanako Morita and Ken’ichi Matsumoto. Forest Policy & Economics, 2018, volume 87.
Abstract: Forest conservation
contributes to climate change mitigation, adaptation, and
biodiversity/ecosystem conservation. To enhance the co-benefits of forest
conservation, it is important to promote synergies among the three
measures—mitigation, adaptation, and biodiversity/ecosystem conservation—in the
forest sector and eliminate the overlaps among the three measures. However,
limited research exists on the analysis of their synergies. This study explores
the potential for synergy among the three forest sector measures, utilizing: 1)
indicators that assess enabling conditions for synergies among the three
measures at the different institutional levels of policies and strategies,
institutional arrangements, and financing and programs/projects; and 2) case
studies of five countries in Southeast Asia: Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Lao
PDR, and Cambodia. This analysis shows that the five countries all require
various changes at different institutional levels in order to enhance their
synergy potentials. The findings indicate the importance of national actors,
financial mechanisms, programs, and projects in addressing the three measures.
In terms of national actors, Thailand has the highest synergy potential due to
its national-level committees and a single ministry that addresses all three
measures. To enhance their synergy potentials, the other countries need to
create national-level committees that address the three measures, and/or they
need to enhance collaboration between the various ministries that represent the
environment and forestry issues. At the financing and program/project aspects,
Vietnam has the highest synergy potential. The other four countries need to
develop common national funds that finance the three measures and/or develop
joint programs and projects that address the three measures simultaneously.