Governing Africa's Forests in a Globalized World

Governing Africa's Forests in a Globalized World PDF Author: Laura A. German
Publisher: Earthscan
ISBN: 184977451X
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 445

Get Book Here

Book Description
Many countries around the world are engaged in decentralization processes, and most African countries face serious problems with forest governance, from benefits sharing to illegality and sustainable forest management. This book summarizes experiences to date on the extent and nature of decentralization and its outcomes, most of which suggest an underperformance of governance reforms, and explores the viability of different governance instruments in the context of weak governance and expanding commercial pressures over forests. Findings are grouped into two thematic areas: decentralization, livelihoods and sustainable forest management; and international trade, finance and forest sector governance reforms. The authors examine diverse forces shaping the forest sector, including the theory and practice of decentralization, usurpation of authority, corruption and illegality, inequitable patterns of benefits capture and expansion of international trade in timber and carbon credits, and discuss related outcomes on livelihoods, forest condition and equity. The book builds on earlier volumes exploring different dimensions of decentralization and perspectives from other world regions, and distills dimensions of forest governance that are both unique to Africa and representative of broader global patterns. Authors ground their analysis in relevant theory while attempting to distill implications of their findings for policy and practice.

Governing Africa's Forests in a Globalized World

Governing Africa's Forests in a Globalized World PDF Author: Laura A. German
Publisher: Earthscan
ISBN: 184977451X
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 445

Get Book Here

Book Description
Many countries around the world are engaged in decentralization processes, and most African countries face serious problems with forest governance, from benefits sharing to illegality and sustainable forest management. This book summarizes experiences to date on the extent and nature of decentralization and its outcomes, most of which suggest an underperformance of governance reforms, and explores the viability of different governance instruments in the context of weak governance and expanding commercial pressures over forests. Findings are grouped into two thematic areas: decentralization, livelihoods and sustainable forest management; and international trade, finance and forest sector governance reforms. The authors examine diverse forces shaping the forest sector, including the theory and practice of decentralization, usurpation of authority, corruption and illegality, inequitable patterns of benefits capture and expansion of international trade in timber and carbon credits, and discuss related outcomes on livelihoods, forest condition and equity. The book builds on earlier volumes exploring different dimensions of decentralization and perspectives from other world regions, and distills dimensions of forest governance that are both unique to Africa and representative of broader global patterns. Authors ground their analysis in relevant theory while attempting to distill implications of their findings for policy and practice.

The Forests of the Congo Basin: State of the Forests 2021

The Forests of the Congo Basin: State of the Forests 2021 PDF Author: Eba’a Atyi, R.
Publisher: CIFOR
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 448

Get Book Here

Book Description


Deforestation and forest degradation in the Congo Basin: State of knowledge, current causes and perspectives

Deforestation and forest degradation in the Congo Basin: State of knowledge, current causes and perspectives PDF Author: Bérenger Tchatchou
Publisher: CIFOR
ISBN: 602387021X
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 59

Get Book Here

Book Description
The Congo Basin comprises Cameroon, Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon. It covers close to 70% of the forestlands of Africa. Of the 530 million hectares in the Congo Basin, 300 million are composed of forests: 99% of these are primary or naturally regenerated forests, as opposed to plantations.

Forest People Interfaces

Forest People Interfaces PDF Author: Bas Arts
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 9086867499
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 306

Get Book Here

Book Description
This book aims at both academics and professionals in the field of forest-people interfaces. It takes the reader on a journey through four major themes that have emerged since the initiation of 'social forestry' in the 1970s: non-timber forest products and agroforestry; community-based natural resource management; biocultural diversity; and forest governance. In so doing, the books offers a comprehensive and current review on social issues related to forests that other, more specialized publications, lack. It is also theory-rich, offering both mainstream and critical perspectives, and presents up-to-date empirical materials. Reviewing these four major research themes, the main conclusion of the book is that naïve optimism associated with forest-people interfaces should be tempered. The chapters show that economic development, political empowerment and environmental aims are not easily integrated. Hence local landscapes and communities are not as 'makeable' as is often assumed. Events that take place on other scales might intervene; local communities might not implement policies locally; and governance practices might empower governments more than communities. This all shows that we should go beyond community-based ideas and ideals, and look at practices on the ground.

The context of REDD+ in the Democratic Republic of Congo

The context of REDD+ in the Democratic Republic of Congo PDF Author: Kengoum, F.
Publisher: CIFOR
ISBN: 6023871372
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :

Get Book Here

Book Description
DRC has committed to reduce its emissions effectively, efficiently, and equitably from deforestation and degradation (REDD+). The country experiences complex relationships between drivers, agents, and institutions of deforestation nationally. The REDD+ policy arena is influenced by both governmental and non-governmental actors whose number have increased in the policy arena over the years; however, weak coordination among these actors remains an issue. Since 2009, the DRC has announced several reforms relating to land tenure, land-use planning and agricultural policy, to create an institutional environment that motivates the implementation of REDD+ in the DRC. By 2019, none of these reforms had materialized, due to both political changes and a lack of finance, capacity, and political will. Between 2013 and 2019, little progress has been made on REDD+ in the DRC, as a result of conflicting interests among actors both at national and decentralized levels; information asymmetry; elite capture and corruption; and the pre- and post-election situation. To date, the effectiveness of REDD+ activities in the DRC remain unclear, due to the absence of rigorous impact assessment. However, efforts can be observed on the field where there is increased number of participants to forest policy process compared to REDD+ early years; and several ongoing projects are testing policy options within and across levels. If these efforts are sustained, they can contribute in putting in place conditions to achieve REDD+ objectives.

The context of REDD+ in the Democratic Republic of Congo: Drivers, agents and institutions

The context of REDD+ in the Democratic Republic of Congo: Drivers, agents and institutions PDF Author: Augustin M. Mpoyi
Publisher: CIFOR
ISBN: 6021504135
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 73

Get Book Here

Book Description
Reviewing the conditions in which the Reduction of Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) mechanism is being established in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is part of Component 1 of the Global Comparative Study on REDD+ (GCS-REDD) being conducted by the Center for International Forestry Research. The overall aim of this global study is to provide decision-makers, practitioners, donors and the scientific community with reliable information on the dynamics of national actions related to the REDD+ mechanism. Discussions on REDD originally seemed to focus on the construction of a global structure and the establishment of a multilateral instrument to replace the Kyoto Protocol. But at the 14th Conference of Parties (CoP 14), held in Poznan in 2008, discussions on the reliability of REDD+ focused more on the dynamics of national- and local-level actions and brought out the need to better understand, analyze and explain the national institutional context of REDD+ development. Subsequently, this review used the extractive approaches. The first inputs were reports, articles, books and documents on the DRC that were directly related to forest management, socioeconomic and political institutions, etc., whether published or not. Because of the diversity of sources, the quantitative data sometimes seem contradictory and conflictual. In the next step, semi-structured interviews were held with experts working in the forestry sector and data were obtained from the participants’ observations. Since this analysis covers the period between May 2011 and June 2012 actions in the field and the institutions after those dates were not included.

Chinese trade and investment and the forests of the Congo Basin

Chinese trade and investment and the forests of the Congo Basin PDF Author: Louis Putzel
Publisher: CIFOR
ISBN:
Category : China
Languages : en
Pages : 54

Get Book Here

Book Description
Since 2000 and the implementation of China’s ‘going abroad’ policy, mainland Chinese state-owned and private companies have significantly increased their interests in the resources and investment opportunities of the Congo Basin, bringing new opportunities as well as potential social and environmental costs. This report is a synthesis of some main findings of preliminary scoping studies conducted by CIFOR and partners in Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo and Gabon. It focuses on how Chinese trade and investment in the forestry, mining and agricultural sectors might relate to effects on forests and forest-dependent communities in the region. All studies were conducted under the CIFOR project ‘Chinese trade and investment in Africa: Assessing and governing trade-offs to national economies, local livelihoods and forest ecosystems’, initiated in 2010. The scoping studies yielded useful results, including an increased understanding of the main trends in natural resources trade between the target countries and China, and the major land-based productive sectors targeted by Chinese investors. The studies also considered the role of national agencies tasked with promoting investment and overseeing corporate adherence to environmental and social requirements, and provided a better understanding of the informal processes surrounding investment and acquisition of land and other resources.

The domestic market for smallscale chainsaw milling in Gabon: Present situation, opportunities and challenges

The domestic market for smallscale chainsaw milling in Gabon: Present situation, opportunities and challenges PDF Author: Lescuyer, G., Cerutti, P.O., Manguiengha, S.N., Bilogo bi Ndong, L
Publisher: CIFOR
ISBN: 6028693537
Category : Lumber trade
Languages : en
Pages : 36

Get Book Here

Book Description


Agriculture and deforestation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Agriculture and deforestation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo PDF Author: Amy Ickowitz
Publisher: CIFOR
ISBN: 6021504674
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 28

Get Book Here

Book Description
Deforestation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is significantly lower than in other heavily forested tropical countries. However, there is increasing concern that this rate is likely to accelerate. Many of those concerned about future deforestation argue that shifting cultivation is the primary driver and that if nothing is done to change the practice, it will cause even more forest loss. This study reviews the evidence in support of these claims. In the first section, we compare the results of the most recent remote sensing-based studies on the rate of change in forest cover and try to explain why and how they differ. We then review the literature on the relationship between agriculture and deforestation in the DRC, with particular attention to the role of shifting cultivation. Finally, we integrate the insights from both the remote sensing studies and the broader literature to arrive at a general picture of the current state of the forest in the DRC and the risks for its future. Overall, we find that while there is substantial variation in the recent deforestation estimates for the DRC depending on definitions, methods and approaches, some deforestation is taking place — albeit at a slower rate than in the rest of the tropics. This deforestation is concentrated in Kinshasa and Bas-Congo provinces, in the eastern DRC and around medium-sized cities along the Congo River. Agriculture appears to be the main driver of deforestation and its impact will likely increase as the country’s population grows. While some researchers argue that this presents a real threat to the future of the DRC’s forests, there is a lack of strong evidence to show the magnitude of this threat. If the impact continues to be felt mainly in the areas where it is currently taking place, the overall ensuing deforestation may not be very extensive. While the local impacts may be real, given the vast size of the DRC and the location of its large tracts of forests, there is a strong possibility that the overall biodiversity and carbon impacts of such deforestation will be limited.

Congo Basin Hydrology, Climate, and Biogeochemistry

Congo Basin Hydrology, Climate, and Biogeochemistry PDF Author: Raphael M. Tshimanga
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 1119656990
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 596

Get Book Here

Book Description
New scientific discoveries in the Congo Basin as a result of international collaborations The Congo is the world's second largest river basin and home to 120 million people. Understanding the cycling of water, sediments, and nutrients is important as the region faces climatic and anthropogenic change. Congo Basin Hydrology, Climate, and Biogeochemistry: A Foundation for the Future explores variations in and influences on rainfall, hydrology and hydraulics, and sediment and carbon dynamics. It features contributions from experts in the region and their international collaborators. Volume highlights include: New in-situ and remotely sensed measurements and model results Use of historic data to assess precipitation and hydrologic changes Exploration of water exchange between wetlands and rivers Biogeochemical processes in the Congo's forests and wetlands A scientific foundation for hydrologic resource management in the region Studies from different parts of the Congo river and its adjoining basins This book is available in English and French. The American Geophysical Union promotes discovery in Earth and space science for the benefit of humanity. Its publications disseminate scientific knowledge and provide resources for researchers, students, and professionals. Find out more about this book in this short video and this article.