DR CHARLOTTE STRECK, Founding Partner and Director, Climate Focus. Disscussant: JUTTA KILL, FERN. Chair: JOY HYVARINEN, Director, FIELD.
The first in a series of lectures organised by the Law, Environment and Development Centre at the School of Oriental and African Studies, in collaboration with the Institute Of Advanced Legal Studies and FIELD (Foundation for International Environmental Law and Development). GHG emissions from deforestation in developing countries represent about 20% - 25% of global GHG emissions. Deforestation is the second leading cause of climate change and must therefore be addressed as an integral part of the future international climate change policy regime. Decades of international public efforts to protect and develop forest resources in developing countries have contributed to the strengthening of public policies and institutions in developing countries. In a majority of countries, however, they were insufficient to stop deforestation. It has long been recognized that forests provide a range of environmental services and global benefits whose value is not reflected in the market. This market failure leads to wasteful forest destruction. Experts suggest by according a real cash value to emission reductions from reduced deforestation and forest degradation, biodiversity conservation, and the other environmental services forests provide, it would become possible to compensate the opportunity costs from short-term and unsustainable gains (e.g. illegal logging, transformation into pasture). The increased value of the standing forest would thus counterbalancing the forces of forest destruction. Furthermore, incentives to avoid deforestation and promote sustainable forest management may be amongst the most cost effective opportunities to fight climate change. Charlotte Streck is a founding partner and director of Climate Focus and an international law expert in climate change and carbon finance law and policy. She advises on the regulatory framework of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Kyoto Protocol, and the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS). Before she joined Climate Focus as Director in February 2005, Charlotte was counsel at the World Bank in Washington, DC for five years where she gained extensive experience in drafting and negotiating complex carbon finance agreements. She has a background in both law and sciences and she holds a PhD in environmental law from Humboldt University in Berlin. This lecture has been accredited with one CPD hour by both the Bar Standards Board and the Solicitors Regulation Authority. Those needing CPD accreditation must register on arrival. The organisers acknowledge with gratitude the support of Earthscan. Those wishing to attend should RSVP using the registration form below[*]. [*see http://www.sas.ac.uk/events/view/3711 ]
Venue : IALS
Institute of Advanced Legal Studies
Charles Clore House
17 Russell Square
London
WC1B 5DR
