Forests are more than carbon
Due to their ability to absorb and to store away huge amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, forests have become a popular issue during the last five years. It is hoped that a future mechanism called "Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation (REDD) will save the world's forests and their biodiversity. biocarbon consult has actively taken part in the debate ever since its inception.
With its network of experts on climate change, lan use, forestry and biodiversity, biocarbon consult is considered a think tank on all relevant aspects of landscape carbon. Unfortunately, in real life, all forest climate mitigation projects have so far not been able to regrow the timber that was wasted in academic and policy papers about carbon forestry. The reason is that forests are living organisms inserted in social, economic, geological and climatic context. As no single forest is like the other, policymakers have not been able to find once-size-fits-all solutions to methodological challenges.
biocarbon consult's experts always link back to the actual practice of land use. Their expertise comes as much from international negotiations and academic research, as from project planning and implementation. One of the major achievements of the company has been the establishment of an independent Global Conservation Standard, which looks at land use in a holistic way and starts protecting natural landscapes with the direct involvement of communities, all financed or co-financed by the private sector. Nowadays, biocarbon consult no longer represents the GCS, but it contributes to conservation projects as a service provider.
Land use is more than forests, and forests are more than just carbon. Natural landscapes provide livelihoods. Instead of preaching scarcity, let's appreciate the abundance well-managed natural systems have to offer.
The World Forest Clock is ticking
News
6 November 2012: Stakeholder workshop in Costa Rica demonstrates interest in GCS
The Global Conservation Standard offers new opportunities for protected areas in Costa Rica. This is the result of a one-day expert workshop in San José.
The German development agency GIZ had invited 30 stakeholders from government, NGOs and the private sector to discuss matters related to nature conservation and development. The experts concluded that the GCS does not conflict with state patrimony, because it does not sell any environmental services the Costa Rican National Forest Finance Fund pays for. GCS Chairman Michael Dutschke had brought a dozen project proposals from a roundtrip across the Central American country, including one from the Sixaola River area at the border with Panama, where he met with a community of landless farmers (see picture). Another proposed project area is the Osa Peninsula, whose 400 square km of protected areas alone host 2.5% of the earth's biodiversity. The Ministry of the Environment MINAE has taken note of the GCS and is currently studying how to help facilitating GCS' work in the country. Meanwhile, the private sector, including fruit companies, tourism operators and a Central American bank have given indications that they want to buy in GCS certified conservation in Costa Rica. Says Dutschke "This is more than we had expected from this first mission". A national working group has been established that will liaise with state institutions and carry the project proposals forward. Michael Schlönvoigt, Director of the Marine Biodiversity Program BIOMARCC declard, GIZ might assist in funding project development once a promising pilot had been identified.
25. November 2011: Peru embraces the Global Conservation Standadrd
The Peruvian National Service for State Protected Areas (SERNANP) and the Global Conservation Standard (GCS) have signed a framework agreement today on the countrywide implementation of this new certification and wealth distri-‐ bution mechanism. The GCS was established earlier this year and is now begin-‐ ning to role out globally. Read more...
