Page 9 - 4. Pre-Course Reading-Training on Forestry Audit 2019

Introduction

160 million tones. Over 80 percent of both pulp and wood pulp 6. Forest fires
production were in the industrialized world. Over the past decade,
demand for these products has grown one to two percent annually. The economical and environmental impacts of forest fires now
attract major international attention, especially since fires related to
Moreover, forests are also a source of non-wood products such the El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) in 1997/98 burned about
as gums and resin, bamboos, various oils, turpentine, tanning
materials, honey, spices, bark and leaves, and medical plants. 25 million hectares of forests worldwide. Large forest fires and the
haze and smoke they generate are potentially a major threat to
2. When deforestation sustainable development; they directly impact ecosystems and
and forest degradation occurs human health, and contribute to greenhouse gas levels.
Since the early 1980s, there has been considerable concern Fire is one of disturbances that may disturb the processes
that deforestation and forest degradation causes huge costs to of forest ecology. The rate of natural succession is affected
society - measured in lost economic rents, inefficient allocation whenever a disturbance occurs on the site. The more severe
of resources, degradation of renewable resources (such as soil the disturbance, or the more often disturbance occur, the
and forests), disruption of watershed services, social distress slower will be the natural process of succession. Fires also
and conflict, massive loss of biodiversity, and emission of green- reduce a forest’s ability to sequester carbon.
house gases.

7. Livelihoods of the poor
3. Biodiversity and ecosystem health 9
A comprehensive World Bank analysis of poverty in Cambodia
Although less than one third of the earth’s surface is covered found that forest products contribute to the livelihoods of almost
with forests, they are among the most notable storehouses of 85 percent of poor people in Cambodia. Most of Cambodia’s
biological diversity on the land - they house over two-thirds forests have been used to provide timber or fuel wood, or have
of known terrestrial species. Tropical, temperate, and boreal been cleared for agricultural purposes. As forests disappear,
forests offer a variety of habitats for plants, animals, and micro- the livelihoods of Cambodia’s rural poor people are increasingly
organisms. Also, major shares of threatened species depend threatened. 3
2
on forests . Forest biological diversity is innately linked to
ecosystem and human well-being. However, forest biodiversity
is increasingly threatened as a result of human activity: GOOD GOVERNANCE
deforestation, fragmentation, and other stressors.
AND FORESTRY AUDITS

4. Climate change
The concept of governance is not new. Simply put governance
Since the release of the landmark Stern’s Review on the Econo- means: ‘the process of decision-making and the process
mics of Climate Change for the UK government in 2006, govern- by which decisions are implemented (or not implemented)’.
ments, industries, and people generally are much more aware of Governance can be used in several contexts, such as corporate
the links between forests and climate change. Badly managed, governance, international governance, national governance, and
forests can exacerbate climate change by releasing carbon. local governance. It can have geopolitical connotations, and can
Carefully managed, forests can serve as effective carbon sinks have a quite specific meaning within individual organizations.
for helping to mitigate climate change. Already considerable Consequently, good governance can imply many different things
international interests exist in setting up payment schemes for in many different contexts.
‘Reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation’
(REDD) as part of a future international climate agreement to
replace the current Kyoto Protocol. The carbon-related role of This document considers good governance from the
forests is now a major consideration for governments around the perspective of an UNESCAP (United Nations Economic and
world. (For forestry audits related to climate change, auditors can Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific) article What
refer to the Guidance Material on Auditing Climate Change, which is Good Governance . Good governance has eight major
4
has been developed by the INTOSAI WGEA in 2010 available at characteristics. They are: participatory, consensus oriented,
www.environmental-auditing.org). accountable, transparent, responsive, effective and efficient,
equitable and inclusive and follows the rule of law. It assures
that corruption is minimized, the views of minorities are taken
5. Flood into account and that the voices of the most vulnerable in
society are heard in decision-making. It is also responsive to
Each year floods kill thousands of people, destroy people’s the present and future needs of society. These characteristics,
lives, and inflict enormous costs on society through damage
to private and public properties, industries, and infrastructures. in more detail, are:
The strong possibility that deforestation contributes to flooding • Participation. This is the ability for men and women to
must be taken into consideration in decisions and policies that take part in an event or activity. Participation could be either direct
affect forests and water catchments. or through legitimate intermediate institutions or representatives.
Participation needs to be informed and organized.

2 World Wildlife Fund (2009)
3 Cambodian Development and Research Institute (2006)
4 United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (2009)