Land Use, Land-Use Change and Forestry

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2.5. Sustainable Development Considerations

Article 2 of the Protocol calls on Annex I Parties to promote sustainable development in the course of reducing emissions of GHGs; this provision applies to the implementation and/or elaboration of policies and measures undertaken in LULUCF. Indeed, the adoption potential of climate mitigation measures is likely to be enhanced-and such measures therefore are more likely to meet their climate mitigation objectives-when they are designed to meet the sustainable development needs of those affected by the actions. Article 12 also explicitly identifies sustainable development, along with the reduction of GHGs, as a central purpose and requirement of project activities undertaken in non-Annex I countries through the CDM.⁵

This section provides information for policymakers about the sustainable development implications of LULUCF policies, measures, and definitions. Key issues related to sustainable development that the Parties may choose to consider include the following:

• What are the potential synergies and tradeoffs between climate mitigation and other sustainable development objectives?
• What are the environmental and socioeconomic implications of different types of activities under Article 3.3, potential additional LULUCF activities under Article 3.4, and project activities under Articles 6 and 12?
• What approaches are available for assessing the sustainable development impacts of LULUCF activities and projects?
  • Do these approaches differ if the Parties choose to develop criteria and indicators for assessing these impacts on a national rather than multi-national basis?
  • Do these approaches differ if the Parties design policies and measures to be consistent with the objectives of other multilateral environmental agreements?

The first two issues are addressed at a broad level in Section 2.5.1. Specific impacts arising from Article 3.3 activities, potential Article 3.4 activities, and project activities are addressed in Chapters 3, 4, and 5, respectively. The third issue-approaches for assessing sustainable impacts of LULUCF activities and projects-is addressed in Section 2.5.2.