This document discusses the vulnerability of forest-dependent people and forests to climate change. It notes that over 1 billion people depend on forests for their livelihoods, while 1 billion hectares of land are under agroforestry worldwide. Climate change poses direct risks like increased temperatures and wildfires, and indirect risks through impacts on species and ecosystems. Potential transition issues from policies like REDD+ could negatively impact land and tree rights of indigenous groups. The document argues that comprehensive vulnerability assessments are needed using qualitative and quantitative methods to understand all vulnerabilities, include stakeholders, and identify good practices to address risks to forests and forest-dependent communities from climate change.

1. Vulnerabilities of forests and forest dependent people
Peter Minang, FTA, ICRAF
Social and environmental justice as a trigger of robust ambitious
climate action and prosperous future for all
Chilean pavilion, COP 25, Madrid, 7th December 2019

2. Forest dependent people
• People who live in and
around natural forests,
dependent on forest
resources for their
livelihoods.
• People who live in
proximity to forests,
• People who dependent on
agriculture that depends
on ecosystem services.
• People that depend on
ecosystem services

3. Why Vulnerable people?
• 1.2 Billion People completely depend on forests for their
livelihoods- often with unclear rights to these forests;
• 1 Billion Ha of land is under agroforestry world wide;
• About 900 Million to 1.5 Billion Peoples livelihoods depend on
agroforestry products- the majority of which are poor people;
• Therefore any climate induced transitions impacting these
groups of people would have to ensure they are not impacted
negatively.
• Reasons why vulnerability assessments are important in
identifying and seeking solutions.

4. Content
1) Introduction
2) Objective, scope, means of
a VA
3) Situation and state of
forest
4) Institutions, governance
5) Forest dependent people
6) CC and risks
7) Impacts of CC on forests
8) Impacts of CC on forest
dependent people
9) Results
10) Good practices for VA

6. Current state
• biophysical situation
• biological composition of
the forest
• current state of the forest
• forest’s functions and
services
• other trends and potential
vulnerabilities
• Legal status, institutions,
governance

7. Risks and vulnerabilites
• Direct effects: alteration in
temperature patterns, heat
waves, droughts, frost and
windthrow, wildfires.
• Indirect effects: effects on
production or ecosystem
functioning caused by changes in
non-tree species such as
pollinators, pests, disease vectors
and invasive species.
• Impacts from human activities,
such as land-use conversion and
unsustainable land-use practices,
Including those generated by
transitions

8. Potential Transition issues
• Issues of land and tree rights for indigenous, forest
and agroforestry dependent people in relation to
REDD+, Restoration etc;
• BECCS land and water requirement issues versus
competition for land issues;
• Bioenergy scaling-up and competition for food
supply and ecosystem services from forests and
agroforestry……
• etc

9. Good principles for vulnerability assessments
• Scope (all vulnerabilities)
• Methods (qualitative and
quantitative)
• Inclusiveness
(stakeholders
• Collaboration
• Transparency

11. The CGIAR Research Program on Forests, Trees and Agroforestry (FTA) is the world’s largest research for
development program to enhance the role of forests, trees and agroforestry in sustainable development
and food security and to address climate change. CIFOR leads FTA in partnership with Bioversity
International, CATIE, CIRAD, ICRAF, INBAR and TBI.
With support from the CGIAR Fund Donors:
http://on.cgiar.org/CGIARFundDonors