1) Colombia submitted a Forest Reference Emission Level (FREL) in 2014 that included deforestation estimates for the Amazon biome. 2) The FREL defined forest and deforestation based on canopy cover, tree height, and area. It estimated average annual deforestation of 82,863 hectares with a 10% adjustment factor. 3) Emission factors were developed using national allometric models and stratifying forests into three tropical forest types. The FREL included aboveground and belowground biomass pools.

1. Key elements OF Colombia’s Forest
Reference Emission Level (FREL)
SUBMITTED IN 2014.

2. Colombia´s Natural regions
Five Subnational Areas for Reference
Levels of REDD+
SubNational Reference
Level Amazonic Biome
Niveles de referencia
forestales /de
emisiones forestales

3. Land Tenure in Colombian Forests
Ha, (59. 000.000 Ha)
Indigenous
Communities
43,15%
National
Parks
15.58%
Afrodescendant Communities
5.50%
Rural
Communities
2.27 %
Vacant land and no
info
33.49%
FOREST LAND TENURE IN COLOMBIA

4. Forest Emissions Reference level components
REDD+ Activities, Pools, FE
NREF Area
Reference period and application period
FREL in ton of CO2 eq
3
2
4
6
National Circumstances and adjustments5
Forest and Deforestation definitions1

5. Forest cover: Land mainly covered by trees which might
contain shrubs, palms, guaduas, grass and vines, in which
tree cover predominates.
canopy cover> 30%;
Mature minimum height> 5m trees in situ;
Minimum area of 1 ha
Commercial forest plantations, oil palm plantations, planted
trees for agricultural production, and trees in urban parks
(consistent with the 12 / CP17) are EXCLUDED.
Deforestation
The conversion of forest cover to other types of land coverage in a period of time..
Same definition in National Monitoring System , GHG Inventories, MDL Land projects
Forest
Forest and Deforestation definitions

6. Total
Area
458,961 km2
Fores
t
area
in
2012
(ha)
399,737 km2
Fores
t
Type
s
(3 types). Bh-T(Tropical
Moist Forest), Bmh-
T(Tropical Wet Forest),
Bmh-PM (Premontane
Wet Forest)
NREF Subnational Area
FREL from Amazon
Biome

7. ACTIVITIES INCLUDED
Estimated through the SMByC (NFMS) for the AMAZON biome
Acorde a 1/CP 16

8. EMISSION FACTORS
Stratification
Forests were stratified according to the bioclimatic Holdridge classification
(HOLDRIDGE, et al 1971), in which vegetation is classified using the potential
evapotranspiration as a diagnostic variable, expressed as a function of the
equilibrium between precipitation and annual temperature.
National allometric models
Álvarez 2012: national estimations throughThe Forest Monitoring System
(SMByC)
Pools included
The FREL includes the "Aboveground Biomass - AB" and "Belowground
Biomass - SB" pools. "Litter", "Dead wood" and "Carbon in organic soils" pools
have not been included, as no information is currently available to allow for
their incorporation in this FREL.

9. EMISSSION FACTORS
Tropical Moist Forest AGB
753 273.14 ± 9.8 Mg/ha
Below Ground Biomass:
55.02 ± 1.83 Mg/ha
(Cairns et al 1997)
Total Biomass 328,2 ± 11,7
Mg/ha
566,1 TonCO2eq/ha

10. LANDSAT 8 OLI 2014 scenes
Temporal Median Mosaic 2014

11. Imagen cortesía Iniciativa GFO
DEFORESTACIÓN
EN COLOMBIA
Procesamiento Digital de Imágenes
Detección de Cambios
COMPUESTO TEMPORAL 2013COMPUESTO TEMPORAL 2014COMPONENTES PRINCIPALES MULTITEMPORALESDeforestation Change Detection (RED Colored)

12. DEFORESTATION
Average deforestation: 82.863 ha/año

13. Se recomienda un 10% de ajuste sobre el promedio
Promedio (76,000 ha)
Rango (31,000 ha)
El rango resume las circunstancias históricas
(incluidos los diálogos de paz)
The Post-conflict period and other economic changes may generate
an increasing dynamic
NATIONAL CIRCUMSTANCES

14. 328,2 ± 11,7 Mg/ha Total Biomass x 0,47 =154,3
TonC/ha
FREL Estimation
154,3 TonC/ha x 3,666 = 566,1 TonCO2eq/ha
566,1 TonCO2eq/ha x 82.863 ha/año x 1,1 = 51.599.618 CO2eq/ha/año

15. FREL technical assessment considerations
Mid February (one
session per year)
End of April Mid July Mid August
Mid-
December

16. FREL technical Assessment considerations
Institutional arrangements
UNFCCC
TAT

17. What were the key challenges/areas for improvement
for your country related to data needs for the
construction of the FREL?
• Establish consistency between the FREL and GHG inventories
in time for inclusion in its first BUR;
• Use reference data for better activity data estimates, and an
NFI for better statistical sampling of biomass and inclusion of
additional pools;
• Monitor displacement or move from subnational to national
coverage;
• Expand activities to include forest degradation.

18. Thank you