Latin American Forest Policies Research and Influence Project

International Student Initiative for Action on Climate Change (ISIACC)

Origins of the Project

At the 2004 Academia Engelberg conference titled “Will Climate Change the World?”, a
multicultural, multidisciplinary group of 18 academics and young professionals from 15
different countries was given the task of developing an Action Plan for projects that would
contribute to climate change mitigation through reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The
participant group formed the International Student Initiative for Action on Climate Change
(ISIACC) and developed an Action Plan containing three separate project proposals. Following
the Engelberg Conference, the “Latin American Forest Policies Research and Influence” project
was selected from the three in the action plan, and funding was acquired for its’
implementation.

Purpose

Vision:
A mobilization of the academic community that contributes to climate change mitigation by
influencing public policy to reduce the net emissions of greenhouse gasses resulting from
deforestation in the Latin American region by proposing alternatives for the management,
conservation and sustainable development of forests.

Goals:
(1) Develop policy papers with recommendations in relation to climate change
mitigation at the international, regional and national level
(2) Obtain endorsement of the recommendations by the academic community in the
region
(3) Guide and influence policy making through a communication, outreach and advocacy
campaign

Justification

Role of Forests: Deforestation contributes to a minimum of 18% of global GHG emissions, an

amount greater than the share produced by the transport sector1. Forests present significant,
cost effective opportunities for climate change mitigation due to their role in the as both a
“carbon sink” and a “carbon source” in the global carbon cycle. Reducing deforestation and the
associated GHG emissions can also help conserve biodiversity, manage and preserve
fundamental ecosystem goods and services and protect indigenous areas. Furthermore,
deforestation can contribute to changes in regional climate and hydrology, often leading to
warmer, drier conditions that reinforce warming trends from climate change2

The Latin America Region: Collectively, the region emits approximately 48 % of the global total
of CO2 resulting from land use, land use change and forestry3. In Brazil, the primary source of
domestic GHG emissions is from deforestation as the agricultural frontiers expand4.
Furthermore, the region is rich in biodiversity, containing 8 of the worlds 34 „Biodiversity
Hotspots“, which provide important ecosystem services of both environmental and socio-
economic importance5.
Public Policy: The technical, social, institutional and economic challenges associated with forest
sink activities will be best addressed through a variety of policy mechanisms, including direct
regulation or command and control strategies, administrative or planning instruments, market
based instruments and education and research at the international, regional and national
levels6.

Project Team

The project is led by the Coordinating Committee (CC), comprised of the ETHsustainability
Project Manager Michelle Grant and the Regional Project Manager Fabio Segura, along with the
coordinators of each of the four sub regional working teams outlined below.

Regional Team
MEXICO
5 Researchers
Coordinator:
Roberto De La Maza
(Commission of
Environment, Mexican Regional Team
Senate, Mexico) CENTRAL AMERICA
3 Researchers
Coordinator:
Elena Florian
(CATIE Tropical Agriculture
Research and Education
Center / Costa Rica)

Regional Team
SOUTH AMERICA Regional Team
11 Researchers BRAZIL
Coordinator: 6 Researchers
Javier Sabogal Coordinator:
(Ministry of Environment, Rodrigo Santos
Colombia) (UEA Norwich, UK / Brazil)

Spatial Distribution of Forests in Latin America According to the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment. Map
reproduced in ECLAC [Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean] (2004). Spatial Distribution of
Poverty in Relation to Environmental Systems in Latin America, (Maps 10.a and 10.b cartographical annex)

Project Phases

1. Background Research

The first stage of the project involved extensive background research by each of the sub-
regional working teams. The reports for each sub region were structured around the following
main themes:
Chapter 1: Identification and analysis of key activities generating or reducing forest-related
greenhouse gas emissions in the region, including agriculture and cattle grazing, forest fires,
timber and wood extraction, macro-projects and urbanization.

Chapter 2: Definition of key geographical areas for action which included the development of a
multi-criteria model for prioritization.

Chapter 3: Analysis of existing policies and recommendations for their improvement /

amendment and for the creation of new policies and mechanisms. The analysis covered the
relevant general legal framework and legal instruments, climate change mitigation policies,
policies specifically related to the activities analysed in chapter 1, policies related to specific
geographical areas, and other general policies of relevance.

Output from Phase 1: Draft Regional Reports

2. Review Process

The regional background research reports have

undergone extensive evaluation in four stages:

(1) One Day Local Public Consultation Events

Each Regional Team organized and carried out a one
day Public Consultation Event to bring together ISIACC
members with scientists, informed representatives
from the academic community, public policy makers,
forest specialists and students from the sub region.
The aim of these events was to obtain feedback from
each of the different sectors above mentioned on The event in Mexico City was held in the
the vision of the project as well as the content of Deputies Chamber of the Mexican Congress
the sub-regional background research document. (44 participants)

(2) Regional Seminar for Project Researchers

The Amazon, Colombia
To consolidate and review the background research a
group of 15 of the project researchers came together in
the Colombian Amazon to discuss their findings and
plan the next project stages.

(3) Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel (STAP)

Each sub-region has established a STAP, composed
by invited policy makers, scientists and
specialists. The STAP will review the background Project Seminar, Leticia, Colombia, Oct 2006
research documents and provide expert input.

(4) Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research Review

The background research will be used as the basis for
the preparation of the “Engelberg Declaration” and the
supporting policy paper. As part of the final process, a
number of researchers from the Tyndall Centre for
Climate Change research in the United Kingdom will
review the policy paper document.

Output from Phase 2: Final Regional Reports, Policy STAP member Dr Manuel Rodriguez, former
Paper, Declaration Document Colombian Minister for Environment and
chair of UN Forum on Forests meets with
member s of the Brazilian project team
3. Declaration Endorsement and Guiding Public Policy Making

The “Engelberg Declaration” will contain key recommendations for polices related to forests
and climate change mitigation at the international, regional and national level. Supported by
the “Regional Policy Paper”, this will be widely disseminated and endorsed by the academic
community in the region through a mass media, communication, and outreach campaign. This
will be used as a tool for an advocacy movement to guide policy making in the region, by
bringing attention to forests and climate change in the political agenda, promoting the
implementation of the recommendations among policy makers and fostering alliances for
action between policy makers and the academic community.

Current Status – May 2007

Early Success: Prior to the formal launch of the final phase of

the project, the ISIACC group was invited by the Colombian
Ministry of the Environment to provide policy
recommendations for the Colombian National Development
Plan. One of the groups’ key recommendations – supporting
“avoided deforestation” as a strategy for mitigating climate
change – was included as a top priority for the countries
international agenda.

Project Status: The four sub-regional teams are currently

consolidating the background research reports following the
review by each of the STAP members. At this point in time
the proposals at the international level are being further
elaborated, and the team is currently undergoing Colombian Environment
discussions with the United Nations Environment Minister Juan Lozano Ramirez
Programme (UNEP) Economics and Trade Branch for and Vice-Minister Claudia Mora
opportunities to collaborate on this aspect of the project. Pineda at the press release of the
National Development Plan,
containing recommendations
from the ISIACC group

1
Stern, N. (2006) The Stern Review on The Economics of Climate Change, Executive summary, pp XXV
2
Laurance and Williamson (2002) Conservation Biology 15(6): 1529-1535
3
UNEP (2003) Global Environment Outlook 2003 – Latin America and Caribbean, pp. 44
4
Ibid.
5
Conservation International (2007) Biodiversity Hotspots by Region, available online:
http://www.biodiversityhotspots.org/xp/Hotspots/hotspots_by_region/
6
Rodriguez, M., Espinoza, G., (2002) Gestión Ambiental en América Latina y el Caribe, Inter- American
Development Bank, Washington DC pp. 175 – 225