The Congo Basin forests in a changing climate: policy discourses on adaptation and mitigation (REDD+)

This paper discusses the discourses on climate change adaptation and mitigation that are currently at the forefront in the Congo Basin. On mitigation, the forests have enormous opportunities to contribute to the reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+) mechanism. But the...

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Main Authors: Somorin, O.A., Brown, H.C.P., Visseren-Hamakers, I.J., Sonwa, D.J., Arts, Bas, Nkem, J.
Format: Journal Article
Language:Inglés
Published: 2011
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/20848
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author Somorin, O.A.
Brown, H.C.P.
Visseren-Hamakers, I.J.
Sonwa, D.J.
Arts, Bas
Nkem, J.
author_browse Arts, Bas
Brown, H.C.P.
Nkem, J.
Somorin, O.A.
Sonwa, D.J.
Visseren-Hamakers, I.J.
author_facet Somorin, O.A.
Brown, H.C.P.
Visseren-Hamakers, I.J.
Sonwa, D.J.
Arts, Bas
Nkem, J.
author_sort Somorin, O.A.
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description This paper discusses the discourses on climate change adaptation and mitigation that are currently at the forefront in the Congo Basin. On mitigation, the forests have enormous opportunities to contribute to the reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+) mechanism. But the forest itself and its multiple dependent societies and sectors need to adapt to potential climate risks. Hence, actors are debating the design of climate change policy in the forest sector. Theoretically, we combine the agency-focus of frame analysis and discourse theory to analyze how different agents hold frames on climate change adaptation and mitigation policies in the region. This paper draws upon interviews with 103 different actors from government, international organizations, non-governmental organizations, research institutions and private sector in three countries: Cameroon, Central African Republic (CAR) and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Three discourses were found on policy response to climate change in the forest sector: mitigation policy only, separated policy on adaptation and mitigation, and an integrated policy on adaptation and mitigation. The various frames articulated around each discourse by the coalitions include elements of: costs and benefits, scale of operation, effectiveness, financial resources and implementation mechanisms. Overall, the mitigation discourse, through its mix of actors, resources and interests seems to be stronger than the adaptation discourse. The paper finally outlines a number of implications of the discourses for policy design.
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spelling CGSpace208482025-01-24T14:11:56Z The Congo Basin forests in a changing climate: policy discourses on adaptation and mitigation (REDD+) Somorin, O.A. Brown, H.C.P. Visseren-Hamakers, I.J. Sonwa, D.J. Arts, Bas Nkem, J. forests climate change adaptation redd-plus This paper discusses the discourses on climate change adaptation and mitigation that are currently at the forefront in the Congo Basin. On mitigation, the forests have enormous opportunities to contribute to the reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+) mechanism. But the forest itself and its multiple dependent societies and sectors need to adapt to potential climate risks. Hence, actors are debating the design of climate change policy in the forest sector. Theoretically, we combine the agency-focus of frame analysis and discourse theory to analyze how different agents hold frames on climate change adaptation and mitigation policies in the region. This paper draws upon interviews with 103 different actors from government, international organizations, non-governmental organizations, research institutions and private sector in three countries: Cameroon, Central African Republic (CAR) and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Three discourses were found on policy response to climate change in the forest sector: mitigation policy only, separated policy on adaptation and mitigation, and an integrated policy on adaptation and mitigation. The various frames articulated around each discourse by the coalitions include elements of: costs and benefits, scale of operation, effectiveness, financial resources and implementation mechanisms. Overall, the mitigation discourse, through its mix of actors, resources and interests seems to be stronger than the adaptation discourse. The paper finally outlines a number of implications of the discourses for policy design. 2011 2012-06-04T09:15:14Z 2012-06-04T09:15:14Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/20848 en Somorin, O.A., Brown, H.C.P., Visseren-Hamakers, I.J., Sonwa, D.J., Arts, B., Nkem, J. 2011. The Congo Basin forests in a changing climate: policy discourses on adaptation and mitigation (REDD+) . Global Environmental Change ISSN: 0959-3780.
spellingShingle forests
climate change
adaptation
redd-plus
Somorin, O.A.
Brown, H.C.P.
Visseren-Hamakers, I.J.
Sonwa, D.J.
Arts, Bas
Nkem, J.
The Congo Basin forests in a changing climate: policy discourses on adaptation and mitigation (REDD+)
title The Congo Basin forests in a changing climate: policy discourses on adaptation and mitigation (REDD+)
title_full The Congo Basin forests in a changing climate: policy discourses on adaptation and mitigation (REDD+)
title_fullStr The Congo Basin forests in a changing climate: policy discourses on adaptation and mitigation (REDD+)
title_full_unstemmed The Congo Basin forests in a changing climate: policy discourses on adaptation and mitigation (REDD+)
title_short The Congo Basin forests in a changing climate: policy discourses on adaptation and mitigation (REDD+)
title_sort congo basin forests in a changing climate policy discourses on adaptation and mitigation redd
topic forests
climate change
adaptation
redd-plus
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/20848
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