Quang Tri is one of six provinces selected to participate in the pilot program for transferring emission reduction results (selling carbon credits) and managing the financial aspects of the Emission Reduction Payment Agreement (ERPA) in the North Central region, according to Government Decree No. 107/2022/ND-CP. This is an opportunity to help people in the province who are closely connected to the forest to earn additional income, while also enhancing their responsibility in protecting and developing the forest. However, the implementation of ERPA is facing some difficulties and obstacles.
The forest protection team of Ho village, Huong Son commune, Huong Hoa district, along with forest rangers, patrols and protects the forest - Photo: TT
The Dakrong Nature Reserve Management Board (hereinafter referred to as the Board) is responsible for managing and protecting forests and conserving biodiversity over an area of 37,666.01 hectares. In addition, the reserve is also responsible for managing the Ho Chi Minh Trail landscape protection area, covering a natural area of 5,237.4 hectares. In 2023, the Board received over 4.3 billion VND from the Quang Tri Provincial Forest Protection and Development Fund for the sale of carbon credits.
The committee has developed a plan for implementing benefit-sharing under the ERPA program, using funding from 2023 for implementation in 2024. Simultaneously, it is working with the authorities of the buffer zone communes including Ta Long, Ba Nang, Huc Nghi, A Bung, Dakrong, Ba Long, Trieu Nguyen, and the participating communities to reach a consensus on forest management agreements and livelihood support for communities living near and within the forest under its management.
Of the 4.3 billion VND disbursed, the unit allocated 10% for management expenses, over 3.3 billion VND to support community participation in forest management, over 64 million VND to support the People's Committees of communes with community participation in forest management, and over 533 million VND for silvicultural measures.
The ERPA program helps the Management Board secure funding to support people in buffer zone communes in creating jobs and increasing income to stabilize their lives. However, as it is the first year of implementation in the pilot phase, there are still many difficulties and obstacles.
According to Ho Viet Thang, Deputy Director of the Dakrong Nature Reserve Management Board, based on the regulations in Appendix I issued with Government Decree No. 107/2022/ND-CP dated December 28, 2022, the proceeds from the sale of carbon credits only cover forest protection contracts with local communities. Therefore, for the area of forest environmental services that the unit has contracted out to individuals, households, and groups of households, and the area that the unit protects itself, it is impossible to negotiate or contract out forest protection under the ERPA program, which is a significant disadvantage for the unit and the people in these areas. In addition, according to Point C, Clause 2, Article 3 of Decree No. 107, the implementation costs must be reasonable and not overlap with other expenditures of the state budget.
This has limited the sharing of benefits as intended by the program. A portion of the natural forest area under the conservation area's management has already received funding from other state budgets through existing programs and projects under current policies. If the above regulations are followed, it will be impossible to implement forest protection contracts or livelihood support policies as stipulated in Decree No. 107.
According to regulations, the beneficiaries are local communities, with the People's Committee at the commune level having an agreement to participate in forest management activities with the forest owner (which is an organization). However, in reality, in Quang Tri, the natural forest areas managed by these organizations are mainly located in remote and isolated areas, many bordering the country, with difficult access and very few or no local communities living there. Therefore, when implementing the payment of funds from the sale of forest carbon credits, it is difficult to include these forest areas in the contracted management program for the community. Limiting the beneficiaries to local communities as stipulated in the regulations does not ensure the feasibility of forest management and protection.
According to the decision of the Provincial People's Committee, the forest area eligible for payment from ERPA is 126,692.4 hectares, and the area eligible for payment of forest environmental services as stipulated in Decree No. 156/2018/ND-CP is 50,092.32 hectares.
The majority of natural forest area in the province is located in the two mountainous districts of Huong Hoa and Dakrong, covering an area of 96,157.13 hectares, accounting for nearly 80% of the forest area eligible for ERPA payments. These two districts also receive annual payments for forest environmental services, and now have an additional source of income from ERPA, contributing to increased income for forest owners.
According to statistics from the Quang Tri Provincial Forest Protection and Development Fund, from October 3, 2023 to December 30, 2024, the total revenue from the sale of forest carbon credits was over 51.1 billion VND. In 2023, eight forest owners in Quang Tri province, all organizations, benefited from ERPA revenue, covering a total area of 85,752.93 hectares, equivalent to over 10.8 billion VND.
Sixty-six communities received livelihood development support totaling 3.3 billion VND, of which 56 were ethnic minority communities. Livelihood development support activities for these communities mainly included purchasing plant and animal breeds and constructing community facilities such as courtyards, roofing community houses, painting and repairing houses, purchasing furniture, installing lighting, and building fences for community houses. As of December 30, 2024, the Provincial Forest Protection and Development Fund had disbursed over 35.6 billion VND to beneficiaries of forest carbon credit sales.
According to Decree No. 107/2022/ND-CP, the condition for receiving livelihood development support is that the community must register to participate in forest management activities and have an agreement to participate in forest management activities with the company. This is an important and humane provision aimed at creating stable livelihoods for people living in or near forests, thereby reducing pressure on forest protection efforts.
To address these difficulties and obstacles, the units proposed that the scope of forest protection contracts should be expanded to include natural forest areas owned by organizations such as households and individuals legally residing in the locality; they also requested an increase in livelihood support for the community or permission to combine investment sources from programs and projects.
The Provincial People's Committee has submitted a document proposing amendments and additions to Government Decree No. 107/2022/ND-CP dated December 28, 2022, on the pilot transfer of emission reduction results and financial management of greenhouse gas emission reduction payments in the North Central region, allowing for the integration of funding sources to increase forest protection contracts in order to motivate forces participating in forest protection.
Thanh Truc
Source: https://baoquangtri.vn/thao-go-vuong-mac-trong-chi-tra-kinh-phi-tu-ban-tin-chi-cac-bon-rung-191237.htm
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