Kalimantan Forests and Climate Partnership (KFCP) Design ...

will be severely impacted in both the short and long term and become degraded and eventually
destroyed if water levels are not maintained. This is best achieved by blocking any canals located
downstream and rehabilitating the degraded forest areas with tree species to reduce run-off from the
dome, thus keeping the peat moist for longer. The dams themselves will not raise levels sufficiently in
the short term, but are essential to stop further drying of peat in their vicinity, and therefore GHG
emissions. Dams also reduce access to areas by people, which will reduce the risk of fire and by
increasing moisture levels of the peat close to the canals.
Text Box 3.1. Standards for Peatland Livelihood Interventions
Key principles for identifying and selecting livelihood interventions on peatlands
1. Should meet sustainable livelihood indicators (economic, ecological/environmental,
human security), and as such, promote sustainable land use of forest and tropical
peat lands;
2. Be socially inclusive and involve groups that are marginalised or have limited access
to community decision-making processes;
3. Be gender sensitive; and
4. Should support efforts to ensure equitable and fair access to land tenure.
5. Do not create or exacerbate conflict.
Connections among fire, livelihoods, and GHG emissions in Attachment 9.
Livelihood standards for peatlands are as follows:
Standard 1: mainstream fire management. Given the overarching risk of fire and its
devastating impact as well its strong link with livelihood development, fire management has
to be mainstreamed in peatland development activities.
Standard 2: analyse drivers of deforestation. Any intervention should start with an
analysis of deforestation and forest and peatland degradation. REDD interventions will need
to have a clear link with efforts to address drivers of deforestation and forest degradation.
Standard 3: ensure inclusiveness. Community-based planning should be disaggregated
according to how different groups within a community relate to forest/peatland. Interventions
must be designed based on livelihood strategies of these social groups.
Standard 4: screen agricultural activities. Agriculture interventions have to be assessed
carefully as agriculture development may increase greenhouse gas emissions on peatlands.
Furthermore, if the intervention results in unstable incomes over time, pressure on natural
resources will increase.
Standard 5: assess hydrological impact. A REDD-related livelihood intervention in
peatlands should always be considered for its hydrological impact. Drainage is a key cause
of emissions and leads to fire.
Standard 6: REDD should generate new employment. Reduced access to resources will
lead to reduced employment opportunities if no additional steps are taken. Alternative
sources of income have to be developed which ensure that communities/households are not
exposed to declines in purchasing power and have long-term skills for the future.
Standard 7: ensure community ownership. All livelihood interventions should be initiated
through participatory technology development/community development processes and must
be financially and socially feasible.
KALIMANTAN FORESTS AND CLIMATE PARTNERSHIP (KFCP) DESIGN DOCUMENT 27