V. Vanuatu

This updated version of the report provides a legal context to the various issues relating to REDD+ in Vanuatu taking into consideration the “2013 Land Law Reforms”. These include the required institutional arrangements, land tenure issues, regulatory instruments, leasing structures, identification of carbon rights, addressing competing land use interests and implementation of safeguards. The report provides direct links to all important documents regarding REDD in Vanuatu.

Prepared by: Lisa Ogle - on behalf of SPC/GIZ Regional Project ‘Climate Protection through Forest Conservation in Pacific Island Countries’.

August 2014

The report describes the processing of historical remote sensing data and modelling of expected land use in the next decade. Results show a very low deforestation rates of 0.3 % between 1990 and 2010, and a predicted 0.6 % between 2010 and 2020. This supports the assumption that forest degradation should become the focus of further activities towards developing a Reference Emission Level for forests in Vanuatu.

Prepared by: Jörg Seifert-Granzin, Dorys Mendez Zeballos - on behalf of SPC/GIZ Regional Project ‘Climate Protection through Forest Conservation in Pacific Island Countries’.

April 2014

Feasibility assessment, project description and GHG emissions and removal budget for Penaoru and Petawata, Santo Island, Vanuatu - Concept Note Version 1.0

This concept note assesses the REDD+ emission reduction and removal potential in and around Penaoru and Petawata on Santo’s West Coast.

The assessment indicates that there is almost no potential for activities reducing deforestation in the proposed area. Reducing forest degradation by eliminating invasive weeds might show some potential for emission reductions and removals, but requires further research to assess the management options and their carbon dynamics. The community areas of Penaoru and Petawata show a potential of 664 ha for enhancing forest carbon stocks activities.

Prepared by Joerg Seifert-Grenzin (MesaConsult) on behalf of SPC/GIZ Climate Protection through Forest Conservation in Pacific Island Countries

December 2012

SAR-based Deforestation Assessment, Espiritu Santo Island, Vanuatu - Processing description and results Version 1.0

Based on three data sets, the deforestation on Santo Island, Vanuatu, was assessed for 2007-2010. According to the results at this stage, 4,584 ha have been deforested during the 3 year period corresponding to an annual deforestation of 1,528 ha/yr, which appears very high compared to a rate of 467.8 ha/yr for the whole of Vanuatu reported for the period 1990 to 2000 (Herold et al. 2007).

The spatial distribution shows, that most of the deforestation occurred in the agricultural area around Santo’s capital Luganville in the Southeast, between the villages Ipayato and Viase in the Southwest, and in the Northern part of the west coast.

Prepared by Joerg Seifert-Grenzin (MesaConsult) on behalf of SPC/GIZ "Climate Protection through Forest Conservation in Pacific Island Countries".

January 2013

Vanuatu is the only country in Melanesia which already has a statutory framework for forest carbon rights, although this only applies to leased land: the Forestry Rights Registration and Timber Harvest Guarantee Act 2000. The legislation creates a separate property right, which allows the carbon to be decoupled from the land. The grant of forestry rights under the Act is dependent on the prior creation of a lease over the land. Consequently, it does not provide a framework for customary land ‘owners’ to exercise their forest carbon rights on un-leased customary land.

Prepared by: Professor Jennifer Corrin, on behalf of SPC/GIZ Regional REDD+ Project "Climate Protection through Forest Conservation in Pacific Island Countries".