Clean Development Mechanism Afforestation and Reforestation projects: implications for local agriculture.

Abstract

Abstract The potential of Clean Development Mechanism Afforestation and Reforestation (CDM A/R) projects to contribute to climate change mitigation and sustainable development is widely recognized. Yet, problems with the design and implementation of CDM A/R projects have limited analyses of project outcomes. In fact, of the nearly 1400 registered CDM projects in early January 2009, there was only one A/R project. Yet, as of May 2010, the number of registered CDM A/R projects had rapidly grown to 14 with 41 more CDM A/R projects in the pipeline. This rapid increase in A/R activities may provide some early indications of whether CDM A/R projects are successfully meeting their potential to contribute to sustainable development goals. This review specifically examines the literature that documents the positive and negative impacts of CDM A/R projects on local agriculture. It finds that while half of the current CDM A/R projects are credited with generating carbon offsets from 2007 or earlier, there is little published evidence of their specific impacts on local agriculture or sustainable development. This review recommends that future research should focus on (1) developing field surveys with criteria and indicators that evaluate the performance of individual CDM A/R projects in meeting stipulated outcomes, (2) increasing critical scrutiny of CDM A/R project validation documentation and procedures and (3) developing criteria and indicators to analyse the impacts of all CDM A/R projects on broad issues (such as tenure security and institutional capacity) and specific demographic groups, geographic regions or livelihoods.