Presented at the COP21 side event 'Forests, landscapes, climate & sustainable development – The evidence we need for the future we want' by Markku Kanninen on 3 December 2015.

1. The future of forests in the low-
emissions development agenda
Markku Kanninen

2. Key messages
 Low-emission development strategies (LEDS) are a key in
integrating climate change mitigation and adaptation with
sustainable development
 The future of forests in LEDS is linked to three main areas:
• Reducing emissions & managing reservoirs and sinks
• Building resilience through ecosystem-based adaptation
• Supporting renewable energy & low-carbon products
 REDD+ activities have generated much information,
institutional learning and on-the-ground experience that can
provide valuable lessons and lead the way to LEDS
 Adaptation: need and expected funding will increase – role
of forests in ecosystem-based adaptation

3. Land-based emissions 1970-2010
During the last 20
years, emissions from
land use change and
forestry (LUCF) have
decreased to their
levels in the 1970s
IPCC WG 3, 2014
3
Emissions from land use change and forestry are decreasing

4. REDD+ leading the way in reducing
land-based emissions in LEDS
 REDD+ is moving forward and expected to deliver emission
reductions and co-benefits (early action)
• 39 countries have included REDD+ in their INDCs
• Strong funding support from key donors
 REDD+ and LEDs are be synergetic
• Same objective: reconciling sustainable development with
environmental outcomes
 From forests to landscapes
• REDD+ can play a key role in broader landscape-level approaches
- E.g. low emissions rural development linked to sustainable
supply chain initiatives
• MRV systems developed for REDD+ can be extended to agriculture
and other land uses

5. Broadening the scope of mitigation:
linking forests & landscapes to LED’s
Forest
ecosystems
Non-forest
land use
Harvested
wood &
residues
Bio-energy
Wood
products
Substitution
Fossil fuels
Non-wood
products
Atmosphere
Land use sector (AFOLU) – REDD+ and others Energy, products and substitution
Photosynthesis
Respiration
Deforestation
Decomposition
Combustion
Oxidation
Combustion
Oxidation
Modified after IPCC 2007 & Nabuurs et al. 2015

6. Funding for adaptation is
expected to increase in the future
44
50
9
50
4
0
0 20 40 60 80 100
Climate Funding (2013-2014
average)
GCF Funding Target 2020
Billion USD / year
Mitigation
Adaptation
A+M Combined
Funding data: OECD 2015. Climate finance in 2013-14 and the USD 100 billion goal

7. Building resilience through ecosystem-
based adaptation
Forests and trees in
• Watersheds
• Coastal zones
• Dry lands
Forests for
• Multiple ecosystem
services
• Clean water
• Local livelihoods
• Adaptation &
mitigation synergies

8. Elements of future action
 Bottom-up approach (INDCs)
• Wide variety of national circumstances
• Periodic reviews of commitments needs monitoring
 Developing resilient societies and ecosystems
• Adaptation gaining the place it deserves
 Boosting renewable energy and bio-based products
• Efficient, low-emissions use of biomass
 Keeping businesses onboard
• Zero-deforestation pledges
• Sustainable supply chains, new bio-based products
 Linking climate action with wider development goals (MDG’s)
• Climate change mitigation and adaptation spearheading
actions to achieve MDG’s

9. Thank you
m.kanninen@cigar.org