GSE FM REDD

GSE FM REDD Extension in Republic of Congo and Republic of Gabon

Global Monitoring for the Environment and Security (GMES), is a joint initiative of the European Space Agency (ESA) and the European Commission (EC). The GMES Service Element on Forest Monitoring (GSE FM) which has been led by GAF AG since 2003 has aimed at providing operational forest services to the forest user community by including them in the design and implementation of the services. One of the main policy segments that the GSE FM supports is the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and its related Kyoto Protocol. Since 2006, GSE FM became involved in the post-Kyoto Protocol policy process "Reduction of Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation" (REDD) in developing countries. Thus a REDD Pilot Project was initiated in Cameroon in 2007, with stakeholder endorsement and financing from ESA, the German Development Bank-KfW and GTZ. The REDD service for Cameroon offered important deforestation assessment information for the country based on forest maps for 1990, 2000 and 2005/6 using national (wall-to-wall) EO data coverage; furthermore methods for undertaking a national biomass inventory were developed and capacity building/technology transfer to the counterparts was undertaken. These achievements permitted the GSE FM to develop additional REDD Pilot Projects in the Congo Basin region. In December 2009 the European Space Agency (ESA) awarded GAF AG and its partners a contract to implement GSE FM REDD services in the Republic of Congo and Gabon.

The GSE FM REDD Service Portfolio encompasses the following:

• Stakeholder Analysis: Identification of stakeholder needs in terms of specific policy drivers, working practices and decision making cycles as well as the technical specifications for reporting
• Implementation framework for REDD: support to develop institutional frameworks for REDD at a national level
• Reference scenarios/Estimating deforestation: remote sensing analysis which will provide forest area maps and forest cover change maps applicable for a national REDD scenario
• Technology Transfer/Capacity Building to the country: programmes to ensure that project methodologies and results are provided to the national and regional counterparts

Throughout the implementation of the Service Portfolio, the main guidelines for provision of these services will be based on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), Good Practice Guidance (GPG) of 2006. Results of these activities will support the countries with their international negotiations in the UNFCCC policy development process.

Current Services:

• Deforestation mapping: The service provides forest cover and forest cover change maps for the periods 1990; 2000; and 2010. The forest cover maps are based on the application of Earth Observation (optical and RADAR) and in-situ data. Forest cover change for the periods 1990 – 2000 and 2000-2010 will be estimated, with the changed areas further classified into IPCC compliant categories: cropland; grassland; wetland; settlement and other land. These products are basic inputs for the calculation of “activity data” for greenhouse gases estimations in AFOLU. “Activity data” refers to the extent of an emission removal; in this case the area extent of deforestation.
• Degradation mapping: The degradation service will focus on forest degradation due to logging; that are areas of forests undergoing selective logging characterized by logging trails; gaps and logging decks. Forest degradation requires more frequent mapping than deforestation assessment, since degradation signals are lost quickly. The Spectral Mixture Analysis (SMA) technique (SOUZA ET AL. 2005) will be applied on high resolution EO data to categorize “intact” and “non-intact” forest areas. The difference between intact and non-intact forest will be based on the threshold for crown cover in the national forest definition. If no national definition is available, an international definition that meets the requirement of the REDD process will be adopted. Field surveys will be carried out to assess the accuracy of the degradation products.
• Capacity Building: In addition to the services provided, capacity needs for the implementation of a REDD scheme are assessed and documented in collaboration with the UNFCCC Focal Points. Furthermore, capacity building training seminars and workshops on remote sensing; GIS; and image interpretation will be organized to train local counterparts on the techniques employed. In cases where the level of the local counterparts does not permit them to assimilate the methodologies employed, training will be tailored to meet (match) their requirements (level).

Benefits to the User:

• The GSE FM REDD services lay down the framework for national forest monitoring. A wall-to-wall approach will be implemented to monitor forest cover in selected areas which can then be later integrated (nested) into a national approach
• The results of the various methodological steps and the outputs will assist in testing the feasibility of long term and national level monitoring of deforestation and eventually assist in defining issues for degradation. As these are key inputs for both the policy and scientific community the GSE FM REDD service will be a direct contribution to the assessment of implementing best practices for REDD. The activity will facilitate dialogue on technology transfer related to REDD through involvement with regional organisations. The results of the GSE FM REDD services will provide the country with both the technical steps and empirical information to support their negotiations during the COP meetings of the UNFCCC.
• Local counterparts will receive training on the technical/methodological steps employed in production of the REDD services.

Financed by	Consortium led by

Objectives

The objective of the REDD Pilot Project in the Republic of Congo is to set up a pre-operational system for monitoring forest cover and forest cover changes within the REDD framework. This will involve the use of EO data to analyze forest area and land cover changes; setting up institutional arrangements to steer the REDD process in the country; strengthening the capacity of local personnel in deforestation/degradation mapping and the overall REDD process. The proposed services will be provided by GAF AG in close collaboration with the Ministry of Sustainable Development, Forest Economy and Environment (MDDEFE) in the Republic of Congo (National REDD Coordination).

Activities

The planned activities can be divided into three main categories:

• Institutional Arrangements & Stakeholder Analysis
• Deforestation and Degradation Mapping
  • Remote sensing analysis to provide national forest area maps and forest cover change maps (1990-2000-2010)
  • Mapping of degradation hotspots resulting from timber exploitation within forest concessions will also be undertaken
• Capacity Building – The capacity building is based on national priorities and will be undertaken in a consultative manner with the UNFCCC Focal Point and other stakeholders

Expected Results

• Establishment of relevant national institutional arrangements (eg REDD Steering Committee) for REDD implementation
• Deforestation mapping and degradation hotspot mapping
• Capacity Building of counterparts in deforestation and degradation mapping
• Establishment of a validation protocol for Carbon accounting in REDD

Landsat MSS data 1973, Congo Basin region	Landsat TM5 data 1986, Congo Basin region. Development of Palm Oil plantages.

Objectives

The proposed service provided by SIRS (SYSTEMES D'INFORMATION A REFERENCE SPATIALE, France) will form the basis of a wall-to-wall nation-wide forest cover monitoring system for REDD in the Republic of Gabon. In the framework of this project, the service provider intends to develop a deforestation and forest degradation mapping service. In close collaboration with the user organisation AGEOS (Agence Gabonaise d'études et d'observations spatiales, Gabon) and expert consultant organisations (e.g. IRD, CIRAD, CEMAGREF). This includes a number of activities ranging from an analysis of the user´s requirements, the development of a service sustainability plan, the establishment of a robust validation method, the provision of products for forest cover change and finally the building of local capacity for greenhouse gas monitoring compliant with IPCC guidelines.

Activities

The planned activities are:

• Mapping of the Gabon forest cover for 1990, 2000 and 2010
• Mapping of the forest cover change (classified into IPCC compliant Land Use classes) between 1990/2000 and between 2000/2010
• Degradation Mapping products for 2011 and 2012
• Capacity Building – Capacity Building and Training for the User organisation (AGEOS)

Expected Results

• Deforestation Mapping
  • Geometric accuracy <30 meters
  • Maps with a Mnimum Mapping Unit of 1 ha
  • Thematic accuracy of 85% +/- 5% for forest/non-forest classes
• Capacity Building activities
• Establishment of a validation protocol for Carbon accounting in REDD