forests, sdgs, climate action, governance and post-capitalism

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James Mayers

James Mayers - IIEDJanuary 2016

Forests, SDGs, climate

action, governance and

postcapitalism

January 2016

James Mayers

January 2016

2

Multiple forest goods and

services - multiple headaches

• Forests lose attention or get trashed…

or eaten

• Widespread inequality is lethal

• Land grabs and green grabs - investment

frameworks and treaties trample on rights

• Organisation and partnerships for

integration – from delusion to real prospect?

James Mayers

January 2016

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Growing

trees with

the SDGs

James Mayers

January 2016

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Forests for SDGs, SDGs for forests

- much potential, where to start?

• SDGs – universal, transformative and

integrated

• Factors enabling forests to contribute to SD

outcomes

• Social justice and good governance

• Fair and responsible market systems

• Well managed, multi-functional landscapes

• Metrics and means of implementation

James Mayers

January 2016

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James Mayers

January 2016

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Poverty Food Health Educ Gender Water Energy Growth Indust Equal i ty Cities C&P Cl imate Seas Land Gov Impl

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14 Outcomes

15 Enablers

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b

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Proposed Goals

Prop

osed

Tar

gets

A package of SDGs showing

how forests can best contribute

James Mayers

January 2016

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Paris climate agreement

– a much-needed boost

• 4 big hits

• 1.5 degrees as a target

• Ambition mechanism

• Loss and damage

• Legally binding

• Many caveats

• ‘Strong signal to the markets’ - but beware

state-backed corporate capitalism

• New dynamics in accountability

James Mayers

January 2016

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Paris and forests

• REDD+ boost

• Results based payments – worth

persevering but need non-market

approaches too

• Plantations or restoration to remove

carbon?

• Degradation of offsets?

James Mayers

January 2016

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Governance – levelling the playing field

James Mayers

January 2016

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Forest governance for local

organisation and enterprise

• Well-organised communities and producer groups manage forests best – but need rights

• Informal economy – dominant and innovative

• Small forest enterprises are a good thing…

• …but not always, and they may be demonised

• Recognise local, enabling and asset investors – and put them together

James Mayers

January 2016

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James Mayers

January 2016

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Changing patterns of investment

in forest areas - China in Africa

• Fast growing investments - challenges

to sustainability

• So - apply convening power, better

evidence, innovative methods and

bridge-building

• Beyond voluntary guidelines to

regulation and investment frameworks

James Mayers

January 2016

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James Mayers

January 2016

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Summing up and looking ahead

To play our part in decarbonising economies, optimising the potential of SDGs, and achieving good local governance we need:

• Rights installed in the frameworks and practices of investment, including REDD+

• A major shift in policy focus to jobs and economies with small forest enterprise

• Organisation and partnership for integration and shaping patterns of investment, including China in Africa

And maybe it is time to start growing the post-capitalist forest

James Mayers

January 2016

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