Gabons Environment Minister Reflects on Conservation Successes, Future Challenges — Global Issues
Libreville, October 18 (IPS) – Over the past few years, Gabon has been successful in its forest conservation efforts. The country has also been able to work hard to achieve its goal of limiting global temperature rise to a target level of 1.5 degrees. The Minister of Water, Forests, Seas and Environment, Lee White, spoke to IPS Correspondent Francis Kokutse:
IPS: Gabon is being presented with a success story in forest conservation. When did this start, and what are the results so far?
Minister Lee White (LW): In 1972, the late President Omar Bongo went to Stockholm to attend the first major political summit on the environment. Upon his return, he founded the Ministry of the Environment. After Rio in 1992. He signed Gabon’s first environmental law in 1993 and started a review that led to a new forestry law in 2001 – which mandated sustainable forestry. In 2002 at the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) Rio plus 10, he announced the establishment of 13 National Parks covering 11% of Gabon. This led to the National Parks Act of 2007, which established the National Park Service (ANPN). In 2006/2007, he also created six Ramsar sites (wetlands).
In 2009, President Ali Bongo Ondimba was elected on the basis of Gabon Green – Gabon Industrial – Services Gabon – a manifesto of sustainable development. He further developed his collaboration with the Prince of Wales (now King Charles III) and attended the climate COP in Copenhagen, where he represented the forestry industry in Africa in a small group of 20 people. Head of State and Government, who wrote the Copenhagen Agreement. He then consolidated the ANPN, increased staffing and funding tenfold, established our Climate Council, Climate Plan, Gabon Strategic Sustainable Economic Plan (PSGE), Agency Gabonese spatial observation and research (AGEOS) to monitor forests and 20 marine protected areas that cover 27% of our Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) – expanding our model of forest management and conservation I go to the ocean. As a result we have had 5 decades of forest loss of less than 0.1%/year (almost 0.05%) and the country is the largest net absorber of CO2, more than 100 million tons per year.
IPS: Conservation efforts certainly have some problems. What are these?
LW: Two types of problems – one is poaching from outside – across borders, especially ivory, by organized crime groups; so does illegal gold mining; illegal pirate fishing boats; illegal forestry – sometimes across borders. So this must be fought with professional, dynamic, strong armed rangers. Gabon has succeeded – while forest elephant populations across the region have fallen by 70%, in Gabon they have grown from 60,000 in 1990 to 95,000 in 2020.
The other is internal: Human-elephant conflict (very complicated, but essentially, there are more elephants; poaching in remote forests drives them towards humans, and climate change has led to it. less fruit in the rain forest and even in the parks (hence) Elephants are thinner today than they were 30 years ago as has been the case since 2015 – The government could spend less money on the public pellets.
IPS: Gabon has benefited from its efforts with increasing Carbon Credits. What did this come to?
LW: We have entered into an agreement with Norway for results-based payments of up to US$150 million, of which we have received US$17 million to date. These are some modest expenses. But will allow us to better manage the forest and thus generate more credits in the future. Just yesterday (October 3, 2022), we received a notification from the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) of the endorsement of 187 million tons of REDD+ credits. . . which will be official next week. All before Glasgow COP 26 REDD+. The carbon credits are voluntary, so we can guarantee to sell them. We have a first offer to buy about 100,000 tons for 30 dollars. . . so the real answer to your question is we’ll see this happen within the next 2-3 years.
IPS: How will ordinary people benefit from all these efforts?
LW: My expectation is that in the post-Glasgow world, Gabon will generate 100 million tons of net sequestered carbon credits per year and sell them for $20-30. These funds will be allocated as follows: 10% reinvested in forest management; 15% for rural communities; 25% to the Sovereign Fund to reinvest for future generations; 25% to settle Gabon’s debt; 25% of the national budget goes to education, health and climate resilience. . . funds that will make our economy more viable and resilient and reduce debt payments to generate more money for the people of Gabonese.
IPS: Will these forest conservation efforts lead to the displacement of civilians? If so, what did they do?
LW: Never, no – this is not our policy. We have a small population – about 200 people – living in the parks. We map out their traditional zones and formalize their rights in our park management plans.
IPS: The more you try to conserve the forest, the more you increase the number of animals, isn’t that opening the country to zoonotic diseases?
LW: No – wildlife in the park is in equilibrium – when you cut down forests and animals come into contact with humans there is a risk of cross-contamination – as a general rule, if nature is healthy, then so are humans.
IPS: Media reports say the country’s elephant population has increased significantly. That doesn’t affect farming either, and what is the Government doing to save the farms?
LW: I mentioned that human-elephant conflict is higher. This year, we are investing about US$10 million in compensation and building electric fences to protect people’s crops.
IPS: With Gabon’s success so far, what is this country performing? COP27?
LW: We will be presenting our 187 million carbon credits to the world. We will also present a model of sustainable forest harvesting to save forests. Generally, this is the Conference of the Parties (COP) where negotiators are progressing. Not the end of the negotiation – so the focus will be more on thematic issues.
IPS: How can other African countries learn from Gabon’s experience?
LW: I believe our forestry model – banning exports to promote local jobs and local economies can work for the countries of the Congo Basin. In addition, our national carbon calculation in different ecosystems can be applied in many African countries, not just those with tropical forests, to generate carbon credits- future natural-based carbon.
IPS: The reaction from other countries in the Congo Basin on what Gabon is doing so far?
LW: So far, it’s probably fair to say their response is a “wait and see” response – they’re interested but don’t yet believe it will work. That said, the Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC) countries have announced they will follow the example of Gabon and ban the export of logs from 1 January 2023.
What is the future of Gabon conservation efforts?
LW: Time will answer. We are a member of the Alliance of High Ambitions for Nature and People, which is promoting a global standard of 30% of land and oceans protected by 2030 – in Gabon we are now at 21 % on land and 27% in the ocean.
I believe that if we can continue the transition in the forestry sector towards a 3rd and 4th level transition and if a global carbon market emerges to reward Gabon’s net carbon sequestration then The wise and sustainable use and conservation of natural resources in Gabon can become a model of sustainability, as is the case in Costa Rica.
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