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| Korea Forest Service Minister Choi Byeong-am / Courtesy of Korea Forest Service |
By Nam Hyun-woo
Cutting carbon emissions has become a worldwide obligation, forcing countries to make their own contributions to battle against climate change, whether they are advanced or developing. As one of the most effective means to cut emissions, forestation has garnered keen attention.
This trend is shedding new light on efforts by the Korea Forest Service (KFS) to reach emissions reduction goals partly through emissions reductions achieved overseas. KFS Minister Choi Byeong-am says that the agency will play a pivotal role in helping Korea meet its target of cutting 16 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions via forestation projects outside the country.
“Last December, the Korean government submitted its nationally determined contribution (NDC) target of cutting its 2030 emissions by 24.4 percent from 2017 levels to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC),” Choi said in an interview with The Korea Times.
“Of the total amount ― 170 million tons of CO2 ― Korea plans to cut 16 million tons outside of the country through projects such as Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Developing Countries (REDD+). By capitalizing on its experiences so far, the KFS will explore and carry out REDD+ projects.”
In 2015, the UNFCCC adopted the Paris Agreement, which is aimed at limiting global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius ― preferably to no more than 1.5 degrees ― compared to pre-industrial levels. To contribute to the initiative, countries have submitted their respective long-term goals via their NDCs.
For the initiative, both industrial efforts and nature-based solutions are being explored, and REDD+ projects are a focus because of forests’ role in retaining carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases.
According to the World Wildlife Fund, tropical forests alone hold more than 228 gigatons to 247 gigatons of carbon, which is more than seven times the amount emitted each year by human activity. The Center for International Forestry Research also said that stopping deforestation, along with other natural climate solutions, could provide 37 percent of the emissions reduction needed by 2030.
“REDD+ is gaining global attention because it has a mechanism that encourages cooperation between advanced nations and developing countries,” Choi said. “Developing nations can get incentives from international organizations based on emission outcomes, while advanced nations can help via forestation and earn certified emissions reductions, which can be used for meeting their NDCs.”
As part of global REDD+ programs, the KFS began its REDD+ projects in Indonesia in 2012, Cambodia in 2015, Myanmar in 2016 and Laos in 2018.
In the Cambodia project, the KFS has been carrying out forestation on a 70,000-hectare site in Kampong Thom Province, with a plan to complete it in 2022. Last September, the project was recognized to have reduced 650,000 tons of CO2, marking the first case of a KFS REDD+ project earning the right to trade this amount for a certified emission reduction. The 650,000 tons of CO2 reduction, which was achieved from 2015 to 2019, is equivalent to absorbing emissions from 340,000 passenger cars per year.
The reduction was officially certified by the Verified Carbon Standard, enabling the KFS to make a profit by selling its emission rights via voluntary carbon markets in the future. The value of the KFS’s emission rights is estimated at $3.23 million, far exceeding the total project cost of $1.6 million.
“While carrying out the project in Cambodia, the KFS also came up with a number of income-generating businesses for local residents, such as beekeeping and growing cashew nuts and cassava,” Choi said. “Also, the project contributed to preserving two endangered birds and nine mammals.”
However, Choi added that the emissions reduction that the KFS has achieved through REDD+ projects can be used for Korea’s NDC when there are standards allowing the transfer of emissions reductions between countries.
“Currently, the international community is in talks over detailed rules on the international transfer of emissions reductions, and this issue is expected to be on the table at the 26th U.N. Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow, U.K., in November,” he said. “The KFS will continue monitoring major decisions at the UNFCC and changes in domestic climate policies in order to better expand its REDD+ projects.”
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| A Mongolian participant, right, of a reforestation project between the Korea Forest Service and its Mongolian counterpart, demonstrates planting a seedling to local residents, April 2017. Courtesy of Korea Forest Service |
Forestation assistance in developing nations
Along with REDD+ projects, the KFS has been organizing a series of official development assistance (ODA) projects in the sector of forestation. Currently, the agency is now running joint forestation projects with seven countries.
Of them, Choi notes a project with the Mongolian government.
Following a 2006 agreement between the two countries’ presidents, the KFS teamed up with its Mongolian counterpart and spent 13.8 billion won ($12 million) to plant trees in 3,046 hectares of desert there from 2007 to 2016 as phase 1 of the project.
For phase 2, the two countries began setting up urban forests in Ulaanbaatar in 2017, with the project expected to be completed by the end of this year. This second phase cost 10 billion won.
“During the project, Korea’s forestation efforts have had positive impacts on the Mongolian government,” Choi said. “In the middle of the project, the Mongolian government in 2010 designated National Tree Planting Day, and enacted laws preventing desertification.
“Also for Korea, the project came with the positive outcome of preventing air pollution stemming from fine dust.”
Next year, the project will enter phase 3, which aims to prevent forest fires, restore damaged areas and set up infrastructure to improve Mongolia’s resilience against forest fires.
Along with the Mongolia project, the KFS has been pursuing a mangrove reforestation project in Vietnam since last year, a peat land restoration project in Indonesia and other forestation programs in Kazakhstan and Tajikistan.
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| Poster for the 15th World Forestry Congress / Courtesy of Korea Forest Service |
Korea’s role in global forestry
Choi said that those projects are based on Korea’s successful experiences in planting trees on its own soil, through which the country acquired its reputation as an advanced nation in forestry.
In a 2019 report by the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Korea led other Asia-Pacific countries in the overall increase of the average wood volume per hectare from 1990 to 2015, with 196 percent.
“Adding to the country’s earlier achievement of planting 10 billion trees from 1973 to 1987, the report showcases that Korea’s forestry management sustainability since the 1990s is also world-class,” Choi said.
Choi added that the KFS and the Korean government seek to take this momentum into the 15th World Forestry Congress, which will be held next May in Seoul. This is the first time for the congress, which is one of the biggest and most influential forestry gatherings in the world, to return to the Asia-Pacific region after 44 years, following the eighth edition in Indonesia in 1978.
“Korea’s hosting of the event shows global recognition of the country’s experience with reforestation and its diplomatic capabilities in forestry,” Choi said.
“During the congress, the KFS will promote the Peace Forest Initiative, as well as host a series of speeches and multilateral meetings of ranking forestry officials from participating countries, so that we can share our experience and knowhow on forestation.”
The Peace Forest Initiative is a global initiative to promote peace through assisting in joint land restoration projects between countries sharing borders. It was initiated by the KFS in 2019 and adopted by the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification last year.
Initially, the congress was supposed to take place in May of this year, but it has been postponed to May 2 to 6 of next year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It will be held under the theme of “Building a Green, Healthy and Resilient Future with Forests.”
Korea Forest Service, a model for cutting emissions through forestation
Source: Buhay Kapa PH
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