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Report
RP0290-13
TitleRecommendations on the design of national monitoring systems relating the costs of monitoring to the expected benefits of higher quality of data
AuthorMeine van Noordwijk, Sonya Dewi, Betha Lusiana, Degi Harja, Fahmuddin Agus, Subekti Rahayu, Kurniatun Hairiah, Maswar, Valentina Robiglio, Glen Hyman, Douglas White, Peter A Minang, Lou Verchot and Vu Tan Phuong
Year2012
InstitutionWorld Agroforestry Centre - ICRAF, SEA Regional Office
CityBogor, Indonesia
Report NumberProject Report
Number of Pages42
Call NumberRP0290-13
Abstract:
REDD+ seeks to establish 'performance based' financial instruments to make forests more valuable standing than destroyed. A trustable, reliable and transparent C accounting system at national scale is thus essential. Accuracy of C stock and emission estimates depends strongly on scale: approaches that are sufficient for reliable national accounting may not be accurate at site ('pixel') level. The proposed REDD implementation mechanisms thus influence the required levels of precision at specific scales, and the benefits that stakeholders can obtain from investment in better data. Within a general scheme of the type of tree, forest, soil and land management practices that are needed to estimate emissions, we review a number of datasets to assess sources of bias and random error, linked to the level of replication that is needed to achieve specified precision. We also summarize data on costs of data collection at a number of scales, with different levels of precision. In combination, the costs and benefits of investment in data quality can be weighed and a balance achieved between achievement and 'transaction costs' (to which the costs of designing a monitoring system contribute). To be cost effective, national monitoring systems can build on existing forest inventory and soil data, but they need to be analyzed for bias components and variability to assess adequacy for carbon stock appraisals. Examples for Indonesia are given of the gap between these data and intensive ecological studies: reconciliation of the data sources requires reanalysis of the site selection for ecological studies and of pre-1990 logging across the country. We provide a list of 10 recommendations and summarize the current situation in Indonesia, Vietnam, Cameroon and Peru relative to these suggestions that combine biophysical and institutional dimensions of system design.
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