Feb 2009: WISP/ICUN Releases a report about carbon finance in rangelands, assessing the potential in communal rangelands.

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Feb 2009: WISP/ICUN Releases a report about carbon finance in rangelands, assessing the potential in communal rangelands.

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WISP/ IUCN have just produced a Carbon Finance Study Report report called 'Carbon Finance in Rangelands: An Assessment of Potential in Communal Rangelands'. The aim of this study is to provide arguments for greater policy support, research input and investment in pastoral systems. The report provides policy recommendations that call for raising the profile for policy processes, capacity building, improving data and enhanced monitoring of land rights issues pertaining to use of rangelands especially Pastoralism and its value.

The report is accessible on the WISP website http://www.iucn.org/wisp/resources/?2645/Report-CARBON-FINANCE-IN-RANGELANDS-An-Assessment-of-Potential-in-Communal-Rangelands.

About the report:

This study is part of a process of improving the knowledge base on the role pastoralism can play in the sequestration of carbon, and assesses the feasibility of accessing carbon markets to support sustainable resource use and livelihood development among pastoralists. The report explains carbon markets and how they work, and describes the basic requirements for designing a carbon finance project.

The Carbon Finance study highlighted the contribution of communal rangelands to the process of carbon sequestration and probably support sustainable resource use and livelihoods enhancement through carbon marketing.

The study is a global view of Pastoralisms/ rangelands contribution to carbon sequestration and finance. This project has benefited from the technical input of ICRAF’s Center for Mountain Ecology Studies, Chinese Academy of Sciences. This study has been implemented using the Knowledge Management Approach of WISP. The aim was to make sense of the available information and put it to practical use, rather than to engage in extensive primary research and analysis of existing but unpublicized knowledge (not shared enough).

The principle aim of this study is to provide arguments for greater policy support, research input and investment in pastoral systems. The report also provides policy recommendations that call for raising the profile for potential carbon sequestration policy processes, capacity building, improving data and enhanced monitoring of land rights issues pertaining to use of rangelands especially Pastoralism and its value.

Additional Information

The Pastoralist Assistance aims to provide a positive picture of pastoralists and pastoralism to both the public and to all those working with pastoralists. The pastoralists that we work with are proud and knowledgeable people and in many areas of the drylands of the horn pastoralists are actively pursuing a productive livelihood. They do not want to be constantly viewed as victims and believe that the media generally portrays them as poor, vulnerable and dependant on food aid. We therefore concentrate our news and events on positive work and events and stories concerning pastoralists.