Zambia is one of the most forested countries in Africa, with about 50 million out of the 75 million hectares total land area under some form of forest cover. However, the country also has one of the highest rates of deforestation and degradation in the world, estimated at 250,000-300,000 hectares of forest loss per annum. Reversing/slowing this high deforestation and degradation trend will require the country to design and implement programs and strategies that will effectively deal with both the proximate and underlying drivers of deforestation and degradation.

This annual progress report highlights key achievements and lessons learned of the Grassroots Capacity Building for REDD+ in Asia project during 2014. 

The outcomes of COP 20 are expected to have a significant impact on developments in the field of forests and climate change over the coming year. In view of this, forest sector stakeholders in Asia and the Pacific require succinct and accurate information on the implications of the COP 20 discussions and their significance to forest policy decisions and practice.

Cambodia has recently demonstrated one of the highest rates of deforestation in the world. While scholars have long explored the drivers of tropical forest loss, the case of Cambodia offers particular insights into the role of the state where transnational governance and regional integration are increasingly the norm. Given the significant role logging rents play in Cambodia’s post-conflict state formation, this article explores the contemporary regime and its ongoing codependent relationship with forested land.

The North Eastern Region (NER) in India is endowed with rich energy resources but faces significant bottlenecks in electricity access and availability levels. The per capita power consumption in NER is one-third of the national average. The region has a shortfall of about 500MW installed capacity against peak demand of about 1950 MW. No significant generation capacity has been added in the recent past. Therefore, inadequate power supply continues a critical constraint to sustainable growth and economic development in the NER.

The Cambodian government allowed 1,204,750 hectares as economic land concession (ELC) to 118 local and international companies. Global Witness reported that 2.6 million ha had been given in 272 ELCs, mainly for rubber plantations. Many concessionaires do not comply with their contracts, nor with existing land and forest laws. Government revenues from timber exports are extremely low. Deforestation, and removal of luxury timbers has increased dramatically. Land concessions rob local communities of their income from non-timber forest products.

El presente Decreto declara de alto interés nacional la preservación de la Cuenca Alta del Rio Ozama e instruye al Ministerio de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales, dar fiel cumplimiento a lo establecido en el Art.

The Chief Land Claims Commissioner from the Commission of Restitution of Land Rights presented the strategic plan for 2015-2020 as well as the Annual Performance Plan 2015/2016 to the Committee. She emphasised that there was still a need for the Commission to be clearly delineated in function and fact from the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform (DRDLR) particularly since the Commission reported directly to the Minister.

Status of Forest Report is published every two years by Forestr Survey of India, an autonomous agency under Indian Ministry of Environment and Forest.

It covers forest areas, forest cover, density, mapping, etc with information from national, States and district level. 

This is a case study under the USAID supported "Grassroots Equity and Enhanced Networks in the Mekong Program" for  Na Ot village, Na Ot commune, Mai Son district, Son La province, Viet Nam. The Na Ot villagers have protected their forest ever since the establishment of the village, but poverty has been one of the reasons why they didn’t take part in the protection more proactively in the previous years as they had to focus on income generation.

Effective implementation of REDD+ activities, the integration of environmental, social, and economic needs must be considered to achieve sustainable forest management. The Royal Government of Cambodia and development partners should seek to build community knowledge regarding REDD+ concept, and laws relevant to REDD+. Representatives of local communities and CSOs in the national REDD+ structure must be selected democratically.