Dimapur, August 24 (MExN): Deforestation is the single largest source with 17% of global Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions (Nabuurs et al., 2007). It has been argued that reducing emissions from deforestation and degradation (REDD) could be a low cost and effective strategy to mitigate climate change (Sathaye et al., 2007; Stern, 2007). Apart from mitigation benefits, REDD could generate co-benefits in form of conservation and livelihood improvement for local communities (UNEP-WCMC, 2007). But a number of civil society organisations and researchers have raised concerns regarding impacts of REDD on livelihoods and rights of indigenous groups and local communities (Griffiths, 2007; Lovera 2008; Rawles, 2008). It has been argued that these concerns could be addressed with the help of broad based stakeholder participation and implementation of appropriate regulatory standards.
With the emergence of REDD as a prominent mitigation strategy, a large number of REDD pilot projects have been started in developing countries like Indonesia, Brazil and Papua New Guinea with the support of private investors, conservation NGOs and state (Rawles, 2008). Multilateral organizations like World Bank and UN-REDD are supporting REDD readiness phase for priority countries where deforestation rates are relatively high.
India has largely addressed the issue of deforestation and has stabilized its forest cover over one and a half decade. Deforestation is restricted mainly in the north-eastern region of country due to prevalent socio-economic driver like shifting cultivation. But forest degradation is still prevalent in large part of the forests in the country, which has ecological, social and economic impacts. Forest degradation adversely affects the livelihoods of 270 million people, who are dependent on the forests for their livelihoods. It also affects ecosystem services like catchment protection, groundwater recharge and carbon sequestration, which has far reaching impacts.
The State of Nagaland with a geographical area of 16,579 sq.kms, has 8629 sq.kms (52.04%) of it covered under forests. The pattern of land ownership is such that the land is owned either by the village community as a whole or by a clan within the village or by individuals. There are no records for conferring upon them ownership rights but the ownership rights are exclusively determined by traditions which are also referred to as “Customary Laws”.
The State has experienced illegal felling of trees and encroachment within the Reserve Forests by certain sections of people. The forest department of Nagaland has made necessary efforts to discourage the illegal felling of trees and active support of the NGOs has also been received.
REDD Plus and Sustainable Forest Management can prove to be important tools through which the State of Nagaland can reap the benefits of the co-benefits of forests. REDD Plus could provide an opportunity to address the issues of deforestation and forest degradation in the State of Nagaland. It is a progressive approach which takes in to account various national circumstances and advocates for compensating countries not only for reducing deforestation and degradation but also for conservation, sustainable management and increase in forest cover. But, there are a number of issues, which need to be understood well before the mechanism can be implemented. Proximate and underlying causes of deforestation and degradation need to be analysed and understood comprehensively.
