The potential and limits of forest conservation in maximizing ecosystem service and climate benefits in Southeast Asia
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(Thesis)
Date
2021
Authors
Sarira, Tasya Vadya
Editors
Advisors
Pin Koh, Lian
Segaran, Ramesh Raja
Neugarten, Rachel (Conservation International)
Segaran, Ramesh Raja
Neugarten, Rachel (Conservation International)
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Abstract
Southeast Asia is a hotspot of biological, cultural and economic diversity. It is also one of the most important regions globally for agriculture and forestry, with exceptionally high levels of human dependence on forest ecosystems for livelihoods and food security. At the same time, forest ecosystems across Southeast Asia are undergoing extensive and rapid transformation as the region develops. This thesis aims to contextualize the value of the Southeast Asian forests – to people and the global commons alike – and address the inherent economic, social and political considerations that may influence the efficacy of conservation initiatives for climate change mitigation and sustainable development in the region.
We firstly endeavored to recognize the importance of forests and the services they provide through the mapping of nutritional service to people from pollination, freshwater quality regulation, carbon storage and biodiversity conservation across 196 million ha of forest in Southeast Asia. We subsequently determined forest conservation hotspots that provide the highest volume of respective ecosystem services, and are yet highly threatened by deforestation. Consequently, these forest areas require the greatest attention for conservation. However, areas of priority may spatially differ across the region because of the opportunity cost in deciding to prioritize frontier areas or wildernesses, in the context of varying socioeconomic factors such as competing land-uses and political ecologies.
We further explored the potential for carbon finance mechanisms to incentivize the reduction of emissions through forest protections, and simultaneously, the protection of inherent ecosystem services. We found that 58% of Southeast Asian forest under threat from deforestation could be financially viable as carbon projects, potentially reducing carbon emissions at a rate of 835 ± 348 MtCO2e yr-1. The protection of the same forests could also potentially feed an equivalent of 323,739 ± 18,725 people a year from pollinator-dependent agriculture, retain an annual 2.86 ± 0.03 Mt, representing an estimated 78% of potential nitrogen pollutants in the watersheds and safeguard 25 ± 3 Mha of Key Biodiversity Areas.
Lastly, we evaluated the economic and social complexities of reforestation as a nature-based climate solution in Southeast Asia. While we found that 121 million ha of presently degraded lands in Southeast Asia are biophysically suitable for reforestation – contributing to 3.43 ± 1.29 PgCO2e yr-1 of climate mitigation potential through to 2030 – only a fraction of this mitigation potential may be achievable (0.3–18%) if a combination of financial, land-use and operational constraints are taken into consideration.
In all, this work informs on the conservation opportunities in Southeast Asia, and addresses the sociopolitical and economic considerations that could influence the efficacy of conservation initiatives across the region. In a time characterized by rapid extinctions and climate change, it is crucial that we evaluate our priorities for nature and present solutions that are not only ecologically beneficial, but also financially viable and socially acceptable.
School/Discipline
School of Biological Sciences
Dissertation Note
Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Adelaide, School of Biological Sciences, 2021
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