Posted on 08 November
2011
Kathmandu – A five-year program to reduce
the adverse impacts of climate change and
threats to biodiversity in Nepal, was officially
launched at a ceremony in Kathmandu today.
The Hariyo Ban program
is a new investment in biodiversity conservation
in Nepal, funded by the US Agency for International
Development (USAID). The program will be
implemented by a consortium comprised of
four leading conservation organizations
in Nepal – WWF, the Cooperative for Assistance
and Relief Everywhere (CARE), the Federation
of Community Forestry Users in Nepal (FECOFUN)
and the National Trust for Nature Conservation
(NTNC) – with WWF serving as the managing
partner.
Climate change is emerging
as a major threat to people and biodiversity
of Nepal. More than 1.9 million people are
highly climate vulnerable and 10 million
are increasingly at risk. Biodiversity has
also been affected by increased intensity
and frequency of forest fires, floods and
landslides. Glacier retreat in the Himalayas
has increased the risk of glacier lake outburst
floods, which could have devastating consequences
for downstream communities, infrastructure,
property and wild species.
“Nepal is one of the
most climate-vulnerable countries in the
world and the Government of Nepal welcomes
the efforts being made by Hariyo Ban,” said
chief guest Mr. Deependra Bahadur Kshetry,
Vice-Chairman of the National Planning Commission.
“The year 2011 is being celebrated as the
International Year of Forests and the theme
‘Forests for People’ also complements the
goals of Hariyo Ban, which is expected to
bring positive results to the people and
environment of Nepal.”
Green Forests
Meaning “green forests” in Nepali, this
program will help to build resilience to
climate change in communities and ecosystems
by restoring and conserving Nepal’s forests.
It will also improve the livelihoods of
some Nepal’s most impoverished communities.
Hariyo Ban will build on the successes of
past conservation initiatives like the Terai
Arc Landscape in southern Nepal, which is
the biggest and most ambitious landscape
level conservation site in Nepal, and the
new Chitwan-Annapurna Landscape, which links
the high Himalayas to the Terai.
“Recognizing the inseparable
link between climate change and development,
USAID is proud to lead President Obama’s
vision for global development that includes
the Global Climate Change Initiative,” said
Ms. Patricia Mahoney, Chargé d’affaires,
US Embassy. “This initiative promotes strategic
efforts to build lasting resilience against
climate impacts, reduce deforestation and
land degradation, foster low-carbon growth,
and promote sustainable societies, thus,
meeting the adaptation and mitigation needs
of developing countries like Nepal.”
True wealth of Nepal
“This ambitious project recognizes that
forests are the true wealth of Nepal as
forests not only support the livelihoods
of millions of people and provide a safe
haven for endangered species but also are
vital to combat the impacts of climate change,”
said Judy Oglethorpe, Chief of Party, Hariyo
Ban. “For WWF, this project also marks a
return to the world famous Annapurna Conservation
Area, which was created through the pioneering
efforts of the late Mingma Sherpa and Dr.
Chandra Gurung, both of WWF.”
Hariyo Ban program aims
to reduce emissions/sequester over 1 million
metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent
in the target landscapes. It also aims to
provide direct capacity building and livelihoods
support to 180,000 people; bring 50,000
hectares of forest areas under improved
management; and generate vital revenue from
successful payments for environment services
systems.
+ More
Coastal East Africa
threatened spaces and disappearing species
cause for worry
Posted on 07 November
2011
WWF’s Coastal East Africa Initiative has
launched a report that seeks to draw attention
to the global importance of East African
coastal forests as centres of biodiversity
and home to species specifically found only
in this region.
Coastal East Africa
which runs from the border between Kenya
and Somalia, through to Tanzania and onwards
to Mozambique contains various threatened
spaces and disappearing species that have
continually been a cause of great concern
for scientists and biologists the world
over.
The report which was launched today by Tanzania’s
Minister for Environment, Dr. Terezya Huvisa,
details shocking statistics indicating that
a mere 10% of the original coastal forests
of Eastern Africa remain, fragmented into
400 patches that cover over 6000 square
kilometres in Kenya, Tanzania and Mozambique.
One of the world's most biologically diverse
regions
Coastal forests and landscapes in Eastern
Africa are home to thousands of species
of plants and animals. In the last 10 years
alone, more than 400 new species, including
261 invertebrates, 28 fish, 25 amphibians,
19 reptiles, 10 birds, 7 mammals and 93
plants have been discovered in the region
making it one of the most biologically diverse
and endemic regions of the world.
Currently, over 20 million people live in
and along coastal forests and landscapes
in Eastern Africa. The survival of these
people is highly dependent on the availability
of basic natural resources such as timber,
woodfuel and charcoal, which are extracted
from forests, causing a serious dilemma;
their dependency and consequent exploitation
of these resources destroying the very basis
of their existence. The pressures are rapidly
rising as the population is expected to
double by 2030 putting a serious and already
present strain on the meagre natural resources
present in Coastal East Africa.
According to WWF Coastal
East Africa Initiative Leader Peter Scheren,
the situation in the region is worrying:
“Up to 90% of all timber extracted from
forests in the region is illegally logged.
A large part of this timber is exported,
primarily to China, for prices well below
the actual value of the wood. This adds
to the local demands for firewood and timber
from the growing local population, and large-scale
clearing of forests for agriculture and
other purposes. The poor communities from
the region, those that are depending on
these resources for their livelihoods, are
the ones suffering most”.
Safeguarding the beauty and splendour of
Coastal East Africa
Dr. Terezya Huvisa states that “Tanzania
is dedicated to preserve its remaining rich
forests, which are not only crucial for
the day-to-day survival of our growing population,
but also as our contribution to the global
climate change mitigation strategy. We are
actively exploring REDD and other carbon
credit mechanisms to support our communities
in conserving these forests”, said the Minister.
Peter further noted that WWF was serious
in its initiative to help safeguard the
beauty and splendour of Coastal East Africa
and has invested heavily in both people
and nature to help secure the future livelihood
of a growing population within the region.
“WWF’s mission is to ensure that East Africa’s
valuable natural resources are being effectively
conserved and these continue to provide
goods and services to more than 20 million
people dependent upon them,” he said.
