Policy and Governance in the ASEAN Region

A training course exploring the relationship between forestry and climate change

Course Background

Southeast Asia, with its long coastlines, high population density, and economic activities in both coastal and mountain areas, is extremely vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Deforestation in the region contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions both due to carbon dioxide emissions and ecosystem services lost when forests are removed. Forestland also carries important benefits for the world’s poorest. Strong forest and climate change policies are therefore essential to balance vital but often conflicting needs.

Forest and climate change policies are not always crafted as a result of thorough analysis and multi-stakeholder consultation. Rather, they are often developed and implemented as a response to political pressure or unforeseen circumstances such as natural disasters. As a result, policies can be poorly designed and have a negative impact on the very people and forests whose interests they were intended to protect.

This course, ‘Policy and Governance in ASEAN Region: Relationship between Forestry and Climate Change,’ has been designed for public sector, private sector and civil society representatives working on forest and climate change policies. It is intended to improve country-level policy development by addressing current shortcomings in policy analysis, formulation, implementation, and review.

Who should participate?

The course is best-suited for senior and middle-level public officials and private sector and civil society representatives working on forest and climate change policies in the ASEAN region.

What will you gain?

• An understanding of the purpose of policy and the policy process, with particular focus on community forestry and REDD+
• Background knowledge on the origins of the concept of governance and how it has evolved
• Experience evaluating environmental, economic, and social aspects of forest and climate change policy processes
• Experience identifying the opportunities and risks of emerging forest and climate change policies for community forestry
• A clearer understanding of the links between community forestry and emerging policies such as Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES), REDD+, and forest certification
• An opportunity to bring ‘real issues’ from your country and use them as learning tools through facilitated team activities
• Certificate of Completion for the course

Course Contents

Practical case studies: Throughout the course, a number of carefully selected case studies will be presented, analyzed and discussed.

Field trip: A one-day field trip will be organized for participants to observe and discuss a topical issue in the field.

Guest speakers: Leading forestry and climate change practitioners will share their knowledge. They will facilitate discussions on the interrelationship between policy, governance, community forestry, climate change and REDD+.

Information materials: Participants will be given an outline of reading materials for each session as well as a list of additional literature on the specific subject.

Topical issues

Discussion will focus on the challenges related to climate change mitigation and its links to:

• Community forestry
• Forest policy
• Forest tenure and rights
• Forest governance and forest law enforcement
• Financing sustainable forest management

Course Length

This course will last six days.

Tuition and Fees

• The tuition fee is US$1,500 per participant, and covers course materials, as well as lunch during the duration of the course and a farewell dinner.
• All other expenses associated with the course (international air travel, domestic air travel to Da Lat, visa, health insurance, non-lunch meals, and other personal expenses are at the participant’s own expense. 

Accommodation

Accommodation is at the participant’s own expense.

Applications

The admission deadline for application is 15 October 2011. For additional information and online application, click here.

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