A study of the viability of a REDD project in the National Cofán (indigenous) Territories of Ecuador
November 2009, Andrea Garzón, EcoDecisión
EcoDecisión was hired by The Nature Conservancy to research the viability of using payments provided by carbon markets which recognize REDD as a valid form of sequestration, in order to strengthen the protection of the Cofanes territories in the Ecuadorian Amazon.
EcoDecisión analyzed six areas of ancestral lands owned or managed by the Cofán village including a biological corridor. The first phase involved the prioritizations of the five most viable areas, using a screening criteria analyzing risk of deforestation, occupancy, additionality and permanence. Subsequently, EcoDecisión completed a preliminary analysis to establish a base line, measure the potential for emissions reductions, and estimate carbon stock, all based on historical forest inventories and literature reviews.
The conclusion reached by this study is that that two of the six ancestral areas are not eligible, as they are already under long-term contract with the conservation incentives program of the Ecuadorian government (SocioBosque). The major regional potential lies in the areas of the Ecological Reserve Cofán Bermejo and Barquilla.
Figura 1: Areas under management by Cofán and SNAP in North Ecuador
Figura 2: Mapa de uso y cobertura del suelo: a) año 1990, b) año 2008 y c) proyección para el 2030 del territorio Cofán Dovuno (Elaboración propia a partir de los datos de GeoPlaDes 2009).
|
