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Foreword

Carbon dioxide offsets by investments in the forestry sector is a viable proposal. In fact, the global climate will benefit twice if the investments are directed to plantations that supply wood energy. First, by initial carbon sequestration when the trees are growing, and second, by avoiding emissions when the trees are used as a source of wood energy on a sustainable basis. The second effect reflects common practice in Asia.

In Asia, about 2 billion people use fuels from wood or other biomass for their daily cooking needs. Most of these fuels are indeed, used on a sustainable basis. (Contrary to widespread belief, woodfuel use is not a general cause for deforestation!) The beneficial implications for the global atmosphere can be estimated in terms of avoided emissions. If households used a fossil fuel like coal instead of wood, about 560,000 kton of carbon dioxide per year would be emitted into the atmosphere. In terms of money, this means that annually some US$ 20-30 billion for offsetting carbon dioxide is being avoided by current practices of woodfuel use amongst relatively poor households in Asia.

It is recommended to develop wood energy in Asia further by modern applications, not only for increased carbon dioxide savings, but also for pursuing national interests like creating employment, managing the local environment, and reducing current accounts deficits.

The Regional Wood Energy Development Programme in Asia links sixteen countries and is part of FAO’s programme to jointly work with the member countries for the stated objectives.

W.S. Hulscher,
Chief Technical Adviser,
Regional Wood Energy Development Programme in Asia

List of Abbreviations

AGBM

Ad Hoc Group on the Berlin Mandate

AJI

Activities Implemented Jointly

AOSIS

Alliance of Small Island States

APEC

Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation

APHI

Association of Indonesian Forest Concession Holders

CDM

Clean Development Mechanism

CFC

Chlorofluorcarbon

CIFOR

Center for International Forestry Research

CJII

Canadian Joint Implementation Initiative

COP

Conference of the Parties

CROJI

Costa Rica’s Office for Joint Implementation

CTO

Certifiable Tradable Offsets

EAC

Environmental Auditing Committee

EEI

Edison Electric Institute

ERC

Emission Reduction Credit

EU

European Union

FACE

Forests Absorbing CO2 Emissions

FCCC

Framework Convention on Climate Change

FONAFIFO

Costa Rican National Forestry Financing Fund

FPL

Fiji Pine Limited

FSC

Forest Stewardship Council

GHG

Greenhouse gas

GIS

Geographic Information System

INE

Instituto National Ecologica

IPCC

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

ITTO

International Timber Trade Organization

JI

Joint Implementation

MITI

Ministry of International Trade and Industry

MOP

Meeting of the Parties

NEES

New England Power Company

NGO

Non-governmental Organization

OECD

Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development

PFP

Private Forestry Project

PPP

Pilot Project Program

QELRO

Quantified Emission Limitations and Reduction Objectives

RBCMA

Rio Bravo Conservation and Management Area

RIL

Reduced Impact Logging

TEI

Thailand Environment Institute

TNC

The Nature Conservancy

UFCMP

Utility Forest Carbon Management Program

UNCED

United Nations Conference on Environment and Development

USAID

United States Agency for International Development

USCSP

United States Country Study Program

USIJI

United States Initiative on Joint Implementation

VCR

Voluntary Challenge and Registry

WBCSD

World Business Council for Sustainable Development

WEPCO

Wisconsin Electric Power Company


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