HARARE, Jan 25 (NNN-NEW ZIANA) — Zimbabwe’s Forestry Commission is weighing the economic benefits of maintaining forests to qualify for investment under the Clean Development Mechanism of the Kyoto Protocol on Climate Change, says the commission’s Information and Communication Manager, Abedinigo Marufu.
He told New Ziana here over the weekend that the commission was still considering signing up to the facility, intended to promote projects that mitigate climate change. “Right now we are carrying out a cost-benefit analysis so that we can assess the benefits of the carbon credit scheme,” he added.
Marufu said the analysis would be completed by the end of this month. The Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change sets binding targets for 37 industrialised countries and the European Union (EU) for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Large concentrations of greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide and sulphur oxide, are responsible for global warming, which interferes with climatic conditions, resulting in extreme temperatures being experienced in the world.
Recognizing that developed countries are principally responsible for the current levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere as a result of more than 150 years of industrial activity, the Protocol places a heavy burden on these nations under the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities.
Developing countries do not have any obligations under the Protocol as it recognizes that their emissions are minimal owing to their low levels of industrial development and the Protocol allows countries with emission reduction commitments to implement projects in developing countries aimed at reducing emissions under a facility known as the Clean Development Mechanism.
A decision was taken in Bonn, Germany in 2001 to include afforestation and reforestation as eligible land use activities in the Clean Development Mechanisms. These may be large or small scale, single or multiple species, pure forestry or on farm systems such as establishment of woodlots on communal areas or re-afforestation of marginal areas with native species.
“The vast forests in the Matabeleland province are being considered for the exercise as they are not utilised,? said Marufu, who added that the commission was considering the benefits of cutting down trees for commercial purposes as compared with maintaining them for mitigating climate change.
“If it is not worth it then we can continue to manage our forests as we have been doing,? he said.
Uganda last year became the first country in Africa to receive funding under the CDM to implement a re-afforestation project. — NNN-NEW ZIANA
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