Land Management ....A big hurdle for REDD

By Dennis Badi

A new NRI report, released today has highlighted land management as the biggest hurdle for the Government if REDD was to become a viable development option in the country.

The implementation of REDD and carbon trade in PNG will not be an easy task for the government due to the country’s complex land tenure systems states the report.
Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation of forests or REDD is an international initiative for mitigating the adverse effects of global warming and climate change by placing a commercial value on carbon storage in natural forests.

The report states that the Government of PNG has already committed the country to a National REDD Scheme at the international level and this requires most of PNG’s customary land and forests to be mobilised under the program.

However the mechanisms which land can be mobilised and REDD can be effectively implemented in PNG are not yet in place says the report.

Author, Mr Nalau Bingeding discussed that in the REDD plan PNG will need much of the 33 million hectares of forested land, which is customarily owned. Hence the government will need to find effective ways to implement REDD on customary land, so that conflicts of interest among customary landowners and competition between developmental sectors for forested land for development are kept to a minimum.

Mr Bingeding states that the country requires a National Land Use Plan in order for REDD and carbon trade to be effectively implemented in PNG. This plan would ensure that possible risks to REDD projects are avoided in the initial stages of development and that there are no disruptions to REDD projects in the long-term.

Mr. Bingeding also explains that the government must consider creating a National REDD Baseline and Climate Change Secretariat to manage REDD and other climate change issues.

(Our National Coordinator Mr. Wenceslaus Magun was invited to attend the launching of this book on the 5/10/2011. It was another golden opportunity for us to network with new partners and also to share our stories with them)