East Kalimantan Environmentally Sustainable Development Strategy

45
Emissions from the forestry sector have multiple causes
Forest
degradation
Deforestation
Peat
decomposition
Fire
Emissions
Mt CO 2 e
34
24
17
13
Description
▪ Current planned logging activities are leading to a
permanent loss of carbon in East Kalimantan’s production
forest
▪ Illegal logging is contributing significantly to forest
degradation, however there are many uncertainties about
size of impact
▪ Planned and unplanned conversion of natural forests result
in significant net emissions even taking sequestration of
plantations into account
▪ Drainage channels used for dewatering of peat
transportation of timber and logging equipment lead to the
decomposition of the peat organic matter
▪ Fire is used for land conversion but also land clearing from
wood residues at the end of the rotation cycle
SOURCE: Ministry of Forestry Indonesia; Dinas Kehutanan; Wetlands International; Van der Werf et al 2008 Team analysis
trees left behind when saleable timber is extracted. Emissions from this collateral damage to the
forest is several times the emissions from the actual harvested trees for sale. Such damage to
surrounding forest is not inevitable, but can be explained by unsustainable logging practices,
minimal harvest planning, a lack of training for forest workers, a lack of management capabilities,
and use of inappropriate skidding technology. All of the above result in low growth of the remaining
trees. Poor logging techniques can cause the net loss of 30 percent of the initial carbon stock of a
forest over a logging cycle.
DRAFT
The expansion of timber plantation area in recent years has resulted in large areas of
natural forest being converted, causing emissions of 24 MtCO2e in 2010. Conversion of
natural primary and secondary forests into timber plantations results in a net carbon loss of up to
70 percent of the initial carbon stock of the forest, making conversion the second largest emission
source of the forestry sector.
Emissions from peat decomposition are smaller than in neighboring provinces, such
as Central Kalimantan, yet still result in 13 MtCO2e emissions in 2010. East Kalimantan’s
peatlands are partly covered with timber plantations and logging concessions. Peat soils in these
areas are degraded through drainage to allow for logging and harvesting activities. As the area of
degraded peatland increases with new concessions, emissions are expected to reach 17 MtCO2e
in 2030.
Exhibit 22
Fires within the borders of production forests, especially on peat soils, are another
significant source of emissions, approximately 11 MtCO2e in recent years. The number of
hot spots varies from year to year as fire is heavily influenced by rainfall and other weather factors.
However, fires spread through degraded areas, thus these emissions are expected to increase
to 13 MtCO2e in 2030 under a business-as-usual scenario with increased forest degradation.
Besides emissions, fires cause massive economic losses, not least by destroying merchantable
timber. The World Resource Institute estimated the financial losses caused by the ravaging fires