Entwaldung und CO2-Emissionen in Riau, Sumatra (WWF)
Forschungsvorhaben über den Einfluss der Entwaldung der vergangenen 25 Jahre auf Biodiversität und die Kohlenstoffdioxid-Bilanz der indonesischen Provinz Riau in Zusammenarbeit mit WWF U.S.A., WWF Indonesien und der Universität Hokkaido
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- Severly burnt Peat Swamp Forest
Project Summary
The study analyzes deforestation and forest degradation over 25 years, between 1982 and 2007 in the Province of Riau in central Sumatra. It identifies drivers of deforestation by mapping the land covers that replaced the natural forests. The analysis estimates historical CO2 emissions related to deforestation, degradation of peat soils and peat fires and potential future estimations of CO2 releases based on models of business-as-usual and provincial land use plan scenarios.
It documents pulp wood - and palm oil-driven deforestation and degradation of natural forests and shows how that has resulted in globally significant CO2 emissions. It also has accelerated the extinction of Sumatran elephants and tigers, which have been disappearing even faster than their forests in Riau.
Results
Riau Province in central Sumatra, is covered by vast peatlands estimated to hold Indonesia's largest store of carbon. The forest cover in Riau declined by 65 percent over the past 25 years. Deforestation was largely driven by industrial plantation companies despite the fact that large areas of cleared forest remain unused.
- Deforestation on peat and non peat soils in Riau's mainland 1982-2007
CO2 emissions caused by deforestation, peat decomposition and peat fires were estimated based on remote sensing analysis. Average annual CO2 emissions in Riau between 1990 and 2007 were 0.22 Gt, equaling 79% of Indonesia's total annual emissions from the energy sector in 2004. This estimate may severely over- or underestimate the actual emissions due to the lack of available data on many processes, e.g. accurate data on forest carbon stocks and carbon emissions (stock decrease). However, considering all possible errors and uncertainties the results indicate the order of magnitude of the emissions correctly.
- CO2 emissions over 25 years.
During the 2007 UN Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference of Parties in Bali (COP 13), the parties confirmed the urgent need to take further action to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation and adopted a work program. That program will focus on assessing changes of forest cover and associated greenhouse gas emissions, demonstrating reductions of emissions from deforestation and estimating the emission reductions from deforestation.
Financial schemes for trading carbon of "avoided deforestation" (REDD) will be developed and international compensation funds will be established. This could provide a good future for Indonesia's forest industry, provided solid policies are issued to encourage the commercialization of environmental services, such as avoiding deforestation, water and soil protection and biodiversity conservation. If the profits from marketing environmental services or carbon credits are comparable to those of marketing the timber, more forest would likely be protected by concession holders. This might be the case with Riau's carbon-rich peatland forests and soil underneath.
Key Findings
- Most of Riau's forests were cleared since 1982 to make way for new industrial plantations, with approximately 30 percent cleared for the palm oil plantations and around 20 percent for pulpwood plantations.
- Between 1990 and 2007, estimated total emissions in Riau reached 3.66 gigatons (Gt) CO2, including emissions from deforestation, forest degradation and decomposition and burning of peat -- contributing to Indonesia?s ranking as one of the world's biggest emitters of carbon. The total emissions from 17 years exceed the annual total CO² emissions of the European Union for 2005
- Since 1982, as the forest were cleared, there was a clear correlation in Riau with declining Sumatran elephant populations, which suffered up to an 84 percent decline in numbers - down to as few as 210 individuals in 2007.
- The average annual CO2 emissions from deforestation, peat decomposition and peat fires in Riau between 1990 and 2007 was 0.22 Gt, equal to 79% of Indonesia's total annual emissions from the energy sector in 2004.
- Between 1990 and 2007, Riau alone produced more CO2 per year than the fourth-largest industrial nation, Germany, saved to achieve its Kyoto target.
- Since 1982, Sumatran tiger population estimates are down 70 percent, to perhaps just 192 individuals. Unless the last remaining patches of tiger habitat are connected by wildlife corridors, Riau will no longer have a viable tiger population, the study predicts.