Kyoto Protocol Land use, Land-use Change and Forestry

Accounting for forest-related activities are mandatory and include: afforestation, reforestation, deforestation, and forest management.  In addition, under LULUCF rules, the following activities may be voluntarily chosen: cropland management, grazing land management, revegetation, and for the second commitment period wetland drainage and rewetting. 

National

Accounting for afforestation, reforestation, and deforestation is different than for forest management. For the former, countries can be credited for the net GHG flow from afforestation, reforestation and deforestation in a given year (subject to a cap). If, for example, 100 tons of CO2e are sequestered in year X, then 100 tons are credited in year X (unless the assigned “cap” for a country is below 100 tons). For forest management, however, countries set a “forest management reference level” (FMRL) against which performance is measured.  In other words, if the FMRL is “-50 tons” (e.g. a country suggests its business-as-usual scenario is that 50 tons are sequestered annually) and in year X the country measures 100 tons sequestered, it would only get credit for 50 tons. 

For the second commitment period Parties are required to propose a methodology for their FMRL following agreed guidelines for submission of information on such reference levels, which are reviewed by Expert Review Teams and subject to a Technical Assessment Report. In 2011, 38 countries submitted country-specific information and data on their proposed FMRL. Methodologies ranged from using historical data (e.g. a base year, base period or extrapolation) to projections using a variety of models. These submissions were assessed by expert review teams, which raised inconsistencies and provided recommendations; several countries revised their FMRL based on the reviews.

There is no specific additionality requirement. However, decision 2/CMP.7 requests the SBSTA “to initiate a work program to develop and recommend modalities and procedures for applying the concept of additionality”.

There is no (international) leakage requirement. Use of national reference levels captures in-country leakage.

For the second commitment period countries have the option to exclude emissions from natural disturbances, above a country-specific “background level” for afforestation, reforestation and forest management.  A default method to estimate the background level is provided, but countries may also apply an alternative approach as long as transparency, consistency and comparability are ensured, and net credits are avoided.

There are no social safeguard requirements for developed country parties under the Kyoto Protocol.

There are no environmental safeguard requirements (related to impacts, biodiversity, or ecosystem services) for developed country parties under the Kyoto Protocol.

There are no procedural safeguard requirements (related to stakeholder participation, safeguard information systems, grievance mechanisms, etc.) for developed country parties under the Kyoto Protocol.  Transparency, however, is required through the submission of various mandatory documents (see Monitoring and Reporting).

Annex I Parties to the Kyoto Protocol are required to submit National Communications, annual National Inventory Reports and Supplementary information under the Kyoto Protocol, and more recently detailed information on the construction of forest management reference levels.  All reports are made publicly available on the UNFCCC website.  In-depth reviews and technical assessments are made of such reports by international expert review teams, and also posted publicly on the UNFCCC website.

Annex I countries must have in place national registries in order to record and track Kyoto units.