National Inter-Ministerial Dialogue on Climate Change

1. National Inter-Ministerial Dialogue on Climate Change Evaluating investment and financial flows for mitigation options in the forestry sector in Liberia Samuel N. Koffa Cape Hotel, Monrovia 24 - 26 June, 2009

2. Why forestry is a key sector for Liberia • Major climate change impacts • Sequestration of carbon (above & below ground biomass, deadwood, litter, soil organic matter) • Substitution of steel, aluminum, plastics and other materials (contributing to reduced emissions) • Forest-based bioenergy (fuelwood, charcoal , other forms) can substitute fossil fuels, with similar effects of climate change mitigation

3. Why forestry is a key sector for Liberia • Environmental significance • Sheltering of agricultural crops against drought • Conservation of watersheds and maintenance of water quality (purification) • Protection of humankind against nuisances (noises, fumes, smells , storm) • Flood regulation and recreational opportunities • Spiritual and cultural fulfillment • Social,health and livelihood importance • Reduction of the quality and quantity of surface water • Displacement of indigenous populations who normally reside in the forest • Scarcity/depletion of forest products(food,medicinals,etc) • upon which forest-dependent communities depend

4. Description of the forestry sector Contribution • Economic significance (USD20M in revenue,USD100M in timber export earnings,2002;USD42M NTFPs,1999) • GDP and employment (Contributed 20-22% of GDP, delivered 7000-8000 jobs, 2008) • Major physical impact of climate change on forestry (Expanding forest pests, reduced growth of certain forest tree species ,i.e. Tetraberlina tubmaniana) • Expanse of forest( about 50% of the country now , but was over 90% in 1959) • Biodiversity and habitat functions(Biodiversity both in themselves and as habitat for other species-fauna, flora, microorganisms) • Carbon sequestration(Unquantified volume of carbon dioxide and other GHGs are sequestered) • Has the strongest potential to serve as additional carbon sinks

5. Proposed forestry mitigation options • Principal mitigation options • Reduction of emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD), by committing forests as carbon pools (protection and sustainable management of existing forests) • Enhancement of carbon sinks through enhancing the sequestration rate in existing and new forests • Provision of wood fuels as a substitute for fossil fuels (biofuel plantations for fossil fuel substitute) • Provision of wood products for more energy-intensive materials (gasification, etc)

6. Activities preparatory to conducting I&FF assessment Institutional arrangements

7. Activities preparatory to conducting I&FF assessment continued Institutional arrangements continued

8. Activities preparatory to conducting I&FF assessment continued Key stakeholders and coordination scheme

9. Activities preparatory to conducting I&FF assessment continued Key stakeholders and coordination scheme continued

10. Potential sources of finance and investment for the proposed climate change mitigation options Potential sources of finance and investment

11. Key issues for assessing I&FF • Information and man power constraints • Lack of definition of the scope of I&FF assessment (land tenure and access rights, existing forest ecosystems and their conditions, extent and nature of forest resources, land available for reforestation and/or afforestation, etc) • Absence of preliminary mitigation measures (researchers need to identify the preliminary set of forest/land management options for the country; this preliminary list of measures is needed to assess which analytical approaches can incorporate the measures • Absence of any analytical approach for the assessment of I&FF • Lack of appropriate manpower • Deforestation and illegal logging • Ill-defined land tenure system and confused land use and property rights