1. Global Forest Policy and Politics:
Current Trends, Issues and Future Directions
Implications for Community Forestry in Asia Pacific
Doris Capistrano
Advisor
ASEAN-Swiss Partnership on Social Forestry and Climate Change
First Dr. Somsak Sukwong Annual Lecture
Katsetsart University
June 5, 2012

2. Outline
I. Global Forest Policy: Competing
Narratives, Evolving Political Dynamics
II. Key Driving Forces and Trends
III. Implications for Community Forestry,
particularly in Asia-Pacific

3. UN Conference on Environment and
Development (Rio 1992)
• Laid the foundation for global environmental governance
– UN Convention on Climate Change
– UN Convention on Biological Diversity
– UN Convention on Desertification
– Rio Declaration and Agenda 21
• But no legally binding agreement on forests
– Statement of Forest Principles
– Created Intergovernmental Panel/Forum on Forests
 Non-legally Binding Forest Instrument (NLBI) agreed in 2007;
UNFF to negotiate a legally binding agreement in 2015

4. NLBI: Global Objectives
1. Reverse the loss of forest cover worldwide through
sustainable forest management (SFM),
2. Enhance forest-based economic, social and
environmental benefits,
3. Increase significantly the area of protected forests
worldwide and other areas of sustainably managed
forests,
4. Reverse the decline in official development assistance
for sustainable forest management and mobilize
significantly increased, new and additional financial
resources

5. Key Narratives Threads and Debates
in Global Forest Policy
• Global vs. national/local values; authority to
decide on forests
• Conservation vs. development
• Mix of forest products and services
• Role of the state; voluntary standards vs.
regulation
 Competing narratives about forests, people and
how to achieve Sustainable Forest Management
(SFM)

6. Dynamics of Global Forest Politics
• Fragmented policy regime (multiplicity of forums)
• Widened interest group participation (beyond States)
– Civil Society, Indigenous Peoples, Private Sector, Research, etc.
– Consultative processes , multi-stakeholder mechanisms
– Diffused leadership and influence in agenda setting
• Dominance of market approaches
– Creation of new property rights and markets to address
environmental and equity issues
– Payments for ecosystem services (e.g. REDD)
• “Greening” of the corporate sector
– Voluntary standards, certification, roundtables
– Use of technology and innovation
– Corporate political influence, bias in favor of concessions

7. Drivers of Forest Policy and Politics
• Originate mainly from outside the
forest sector
Global Food Price Index
1990-2012 • Key drivers in recent years include:
Source: FAO
250.0
– Economic and demographic Trends
200.0
– Renewed concerns about food security
150.0 – Climate change, role of forests in
100.0 mitigation and adaptation
50.0
– Empowerment of Indigenous Peoples
and Communities
0.0
– Governance reforms (NFPs, FLEG, etc.)
1996
2000
2004
2008
1990
1992
1994
1998
2002
2006
2010
2012
Shifting balance of power; changing
narratives

8. Decreasing Absolute Poverty, Growing Middle
Class, Increasing Inequality
• 75% Global GDP growth (1992-2010), fastest in middle income countries
• GDP pc in high income countries 30x that of low income countries
• Global GDP expected to grow 5x from US$60 to US300 trillion by 2030
• Emerging economies will contribute 2/3 of global growth by 2030
 Economic power shifting from “West” to “East” notably to Asia
 2 billion forest dwelling people among the poorest, with unmet
expectations of justice and development

9. Contribution of the Forestry Sector
as a Percentage of GDP in the
World by Subregion,2006
WORLD
SOUTH AMERICA
OCEANIA
NORTH AMERICA
CENTRAL AMERICA
CARIBBEAN
EUROPE (with Russia)
Employment in primary production
ASIA of forest goods, 2005
AFRICA
Rest of the East Asia
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 Russian World 12.4%
Federation 16.8%
Percentage of GDP 4.3%
Western
Asia
0.5%
Central
Asia 0.4%
South Asia
Southeast 61.3%
Asia
4.4%
Source: FAO 2011

10. Demand for Land for Food, Fuel, Carbon
• 7 billion people (2011); projected 9.1 billion by 2050
• 2.7 billion people using biomass energy for fuel
• 4.9 billion hectares of agricultural land (2009)
• 2.2% growth in agricultural production (1997 – 2007)
• Agro-industrial plantation on community and indigenous lands
Since 2008, about 1000% increase in “land-grabbing”-- over 240
million hectares, mostly in forest lands (ILO 2011; RRI 2012)
 Call for more integrated approach to landscape management

11. Climate change put forests back on
the global agenda
• Recognition of the role of forests in climate change
mitigation and adaptation
• Reducing emissions from deforestation
and forest degradation (REDD)
• Reversed declining donor funding for forests
– Adaptation funding doubled since 1990 but
make up only 3% of total aid commitment
– Funding over-estimated, mostly relabeling
and repackaging of aid
Source: Michaelowa (2011)

12. Empowerment of Indigenous Peoples and
Forest Communities
• Expansion of area under control of Indigenous
Peoples and communities
– Globally, from 10% in 2002 to 15% today
– In developing countries, from 21% in 2002 to 31%
• Over 50 laws recognizing rights since 1992, mostly in
Latin America
• UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
(2007); FAO Guidance on Tenure Reform (2012)
• Representation in international bodies, steering
committees and governing boards
 But still gap between rhetoric and implementation
Source: RRI (2012)

13. Deforestation continues but at a slower pace
• 13 million hectares of forest lost per year from 2000 to 2010
• Increase in planted forests, especially in Asia-Pacific
• Expansion of protected areas
 Net forest loss of 5.2 million hectares annually
Source: FAO

14. Area of Forests in the World by
Subregion, 1990, 2000, and 2010
1200000
1000000
Area (1000 ha)
800000
600000
400000
200000
Series1
0
Series2 Area of Planted Forests in the World
Series3 by subregion, 1990, 2000, and 2010
140000
120000
100000
80000
60000
Area (1000 ha)
40000
Subregion 20000 Series1
0
Series2
Series3
subregion

15. Forest Trends in the Asia Pacific Region
Area of Planted Forests in
• Asia-Pacific has 18% of global forest area
Asia, by
subregion, 1990, 2000, and
2010 • Forests in China, Australia, India, Indonesia
100000 and Myanmar account for 70%
90000
80000
• Annual deforestation of 0.7 million
Area (1000 ha)
70000
60000
50000
40000 hectares/ year (1990)
30000
Series1
20000
• Forest planting, regeneration 1.4 million
10000 Series2
0
Series3
hectares annually (2000-2010)
• Gain in forest cover in
subregion
China, India, Vietnam, Philippines and
Bhutan
 Granting tenure and rights key factor in forest planting and regeneration

16. Owned by individuals and Distribution of Forest Land Tenure
firms - 6% Asia-Pacific, 2008
Administered by government
Owned by
communities and
indigenous groups - Designated for use by communities and
24% indigenous groups
Owned by communities and indigenous
Administered by groups
Designated for use by government - 67%
communities and Owned by individuals and firms
indigenous groups - 3%
Source: Dahal et al (2011); RRI (2012)

17. Contribution of the Forestry Sector as Employment in primary
a Percentage of GDP in Asia by production of forest goods, 2005
Subregion,2006
Russian
Western Asia East Asia
Federation Rest of the
12.4%
4.3% World
16.8%
Southeast Asia Western
Asia
0.5%
Central
South Asia
Asia
0.4%
East Asia
Southeast South Asia
Asia 61.3%
Central Asia
4.4%
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8
Percentage of GDP
Source: FAO 2011

18. • Asia-Pacific fastest growing region since mid-1970s, has largest and
fastest growing middle class
• Sovereign wealth funds ($3.6 trillion in 2010) expected to be
increasingly invested in Emerging Economies

19. Opportunities for Community Forestry
• Move towards “Green Economy”
– Appropriate scale not economies of scale
– Localization of economy not globalization
– Cooperation for the best not competition for the
cheapest
• Greater attention to social-environmental
safeguards, expected flow of investment funds
• Bonn Challenge (UNCBD/UNFCCC/IUCN)
– Goal of restoring 150 million hectares degraded
forests by 2020
– Require doubling rate of afforestation, regeneration
and agroforestry

20. Conditions for Success of Community
Forestry in Asia and Elsewhere
• Protection and enforcement of rights
• Strengthened policies and systems of
support for CF and CF enterprises
• Capacity and opportunities for investment
and reinvestment in CF
• Pro-poor governance reforms
• Equitable sharing of benefits of SFM/ CF

21. Making CF a Viable Business Model
• Secure tenure over land and
resources
• Removing discriminatory barriers
against CF and small producers
• Access to
finance, markets, technology, assis
tance with contracts, information
• Scaling up through
partnerships, federations, associati
ons and hybrid models

22. Thank You