Protecting forests -- the lungs of our planet -- seems no longer a matter of choice in the face of intensifying climate crises worldwide.
To tackle these challenges, Nam Song-hee, director general of the International Forest Affairs Bureau of the Korea Forest Service, drew attention to the Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation Plus, or REDD+, a forest conservation initiative under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
Designed to combat climate change by reducing deforestation and enhancing forest carbon stocks, the program helps developed countries achieve emissions reductions at a relatively low cost, while providing financial incentives for developing countries.
In an interview with The Korea Herald, Nam identified Latin America as the focus of KFS' next steps in advancing REDD+ initiatives, citing the region's vast tropical rainforests and exceptional carbon sequestration potential as ideal for sustainable forestry practices.
“Latin America is facing forest degradation from agricultural expansion, slash-and-burn farming and forest fires -- challenges that can be addressed using Korea's advanced agricultural, forestry and fire prevention technologies,” Nam said.
In terms of land ownership issues, Latin American countries present fewer obstacles compared to those in Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands, Nam added.
The region also holds further business prospects.
"Beyond REDD+ projects, we recognized the potential for afforestation in Latin America," Nam noted, mentioning that, in Guatemala, annual forest growth can reach up to 30 cubic meters per hectare. He singled out Paraguay as particularly promising, citing its flat terrain as advantageous for forest management.
The KFS has made strides in forest carbon mitigation projects in regions including Latin America and Africa through its participation in the 29th Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC held last November in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Key outcomes for the KFS included Honduras, Peru and Paraguay identifying regions for carbon credit investments, Ghana proposing mangrove afforestation sites, and Uganda agreeing to sign a letter of intent in the first half of this year. Talks also began with Kyrgyzstan on forest restoration and seed conservation.
Building on its overseas carbon mitigation efforts, the forest agency established a REDD+ center in Laos last October and signed a memorandum of understanding with Honduras in January this year.
The KFS is poised to expand its activities across Latin America for years to come.
"First, we plan to implement systematic REDD+ projects in Honduras, focusing on assessing forest degradation and conducting cost-benefit analyses for efficient execution," he said. "We also aim to expand REDD+ projects in Guatemala, which has shown interest in collaborating with the KFS."
While Latin America is currently a priority, the KFS also intends to broaden its REDD+ efforts to other regions, including Southeast Asian nations like Vietnam and Timor-Leste.
Regarding concerns that the projects may prompt a shift in illegal forest activities to new regions, Nam highlighted the broad scale of the initiatives.
“The KFS is well aware of this issue and implements international reduction projects with administrative districts and at the national level, ensuring our projects maintain environmental integrity,” he said.
With the new UN carbon market mechanism endorsed at COP29, Nam foresees growing competition among developed countries and global firms for REDD+ investments.
“Countries like Japan and Singapore are already actively pursuing REDD+ projects in ASEAN member states and Pacific Island nations,” he remarked. “The outlook for REDD+ projects in Korea is also promising, with climate-related measures becoming stricter, alongside the cost-effectiveness of these projects and benefits such as biodiversity conservation.”
However, the projects do face obstacles in scaling up, Nam explained, due to budget and personnel limitations.
"We believe linking REDD+ projects with those under Official Development Assistance would help secure project sites and improve outcomes," he said, calling for broader support, urging both government and public cooperation for the success of REDD+ projects.
"In the end, climate change remains a collaborative task for all ministries and all countries around the world," he added.
