Obi Chigozie Ogochukwu

DEFORESTATION AND LOSS OF BIODIVERSITY Deforestation and forest degradation currently contribute up to 12 percent of carbon emissions which is currently more than the entire transport sector combined. By halting deforestation and reducing and reversing forest degradation in Nigeria, forests could contribute significantly to the climate solution in the coming decades. One of the tools developed to fight deforestation is the REDD+ mechanism. REDD+ stands for reducing emissions from deforestation and degradation, and also fostering conservation, sustainable management of forests, and enhancement of forest carbon stocks. This mechanism allows for monetizing the emission reductions from deforestation and forest degradation and can bring about real sustainable development to Nigeria if it is well understood and applied. It is a complex mechanism that developed at the inception of the UNFCCC and can benefit a country like Nigeria if the opportunity is seized. As of 2005, Nigeria was graded by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization as having the highest deforestation rate in the world, with about 55.7% of the primary forests (virgin forests) being lost and an annual deforestation rate of 3.5%. Deforestation in Nigeria is caused by several reasons which includes but not limited to bush burning, unregulated logging; rapid urbanization, agricultural activities and these have negative implications on the environment in terms of soil erosion, loss of biodiversity ecosystems, loss of wildlife and increased desertification among many other reasons. This salient issue has called for serious action and necessitates the implementation of the REDD+ program in Nigeria. REDD+ projects have to be supported by the government of Nigeria as any private REDD+ developer will need an endorsement and approval from the government, usually through the ministry in charge of the environment. Because of the complex nature of REDD+ projects, they take a lot of time to bear fruits. That means the government needs to do the groundwork for REDD+ development project. The government also has to ensure that there is an efficient strategy for REDD+ projects to have positive development impact in Nigeria and not just reducing Green-house Gas Emissions. Nigeria has begun some preliminary work in this regard, the UN-REDD Nigeria Program Steering Committee was established in 2013 and is leading the REDD+ strategy of the country with the development of the strategy for a pilot project in Cross River State. There is a need to speed up the process if Nigeria is to meet the four outcomes of its objective which includes improving institutional and technical capacity at the national level, preparing a framework to expand REDD+ across Nigeria, building the institutional and technical capacity for REDD+ development and demonstrating REDD+ readiness in Cross River State. Developing REDD+ projects in Nigeria will bring a lot of environmental benefits for the country. For one, the country has lost more than 50% of its forest cover between 1990 and 2010, the highest deforestation rate in the world. As a result of this, reforestation needs to be taken seriously in Nigeria or, at the very least, deforestation should be more controlled. REDD+ projects are the key to tackling this issue of deforestation. Also desertification is increasing in the northern parts of Nigeria and with a population nearing 200 million people; Nigeria needs to invest in massive infrastructure development and agricultural activities to be able to meet the demands of its rising population. REDD+ is all about providing solutions to these challenges; regaining degraded land and forests in a sustainable manner and giving opportunities to people to carry out their normal activities on the land. A lot of questions abound concerning the concept REDD+, like, how the REDD+ mechanism will be linked to existing national development strategies, how forest communities and indigenous peoples can participate in the design, monitoring and evaluation of national REDD programs, how Nigeria will ensure that benefits are distributed equitably among all those who manage the forests and finally, how the amount of carbon stored and sequestrated as a result of REDD+ be monitored. The sector is ripe for investment and the REDD+ mechanism represents a valuable opportunity for Nigeria to contribute to climate change mitigation through improved forest conservation and enhancing sustainable community livelihoods. The objective is to build the REDD+ mechanism in all states in Nigeria, using Cross River State as a demonstration model.