Reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing nations, known as the REDD+ program, is a key way for the Korea Forest Service to display its support for the United Nations’ green initiative and to promote Korea’s advanced status in environmental protection.

South Korea’s REDD+ action is part of the International REDD, a United Nations program launched in 2008 to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and protect forests from abuse.

The UN-REDD program supports nationally led REDD+ processes in 53 partner countries spanning Africa, the Asia-Pacific and Latin America ― either by directly implementing the UN-REDD agenda or by aiding the national REDD+ action.

“REDD’s effects are not just limited to environmental protection and gas reduction,” said a KFS official.

“It is the solution to end the vicious circle, which involves deforestation, gas emission, climate change and poverty.”

It is also an economic method to secure greenhouse gas emissions rights, the official added.

The cost for emitting 1 ton of carbon dioxide was $70.52 in the U.S. as of 2010, but the cost for REDD-based emissions was only $7.40 last year, according to the State of the Voluntary Carbon Markets 2013 report.

The Korean government plans to reduce 244 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions by 2020, and a considerable part of the reduction is to be made in forests through REDD+ actions, the official added.

Neighboring Japan, for instance, is expected to cut down 48 million tons of greenhouse gases or 65 percent of its total reduction target amount during the same period.

To make up for the limits of the domestic market, the KFS is implementing its REDD+ program in Indonesia, Cambodia and Myanmar, aiming at securing carbon emission units worth 10 million tons by 2020.

Its first choice of location for the overseas REDD+ was Indonesia, which has been South Korea’s top strategic forest policy cooperation partner for the past 40 years.

In collaboration with the Indonesian Ministry of Forest, the KFS is planning to operate a forest working plan area in Kampar, Sumatra Island, involving some 14,000 hectares of peat land and $3 million of investment. The carbon emissions rights generated from the newly created forests will be assigned to the KFS.

“We will also establish mid and long-term forest management plans for Indonesia, as to make our achievements sustainable in the future,” the KFS official said.

By Bae Hyun-jung (tellme@heraldcorp.com)