Agenda (November 19, 2009)

November 19th to 21st, 2009 at The Peterhof, Shimla

NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON FORESTRY SOLUTIONS: STRATEGIES FOR MITIGATION AND ADAPTATION OF THE IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE IN WESTERN HIMALAYAN MOUNTAIN STATES,

HOST: HP Forest Department and various other co-sponsors

      AGENDA

DAY 1

• Registration(9.00AM-10.00 AM), Venue: Hotel Peterhof entrance lobby
• Inaugural Session(10.00AM-11.00 AM), Ms. Asha Swarup, Chief Secretary, Govt. of HP, Venue: Darbar Hall, Hotel Peterhof

• Tea/Coffee Break & Group Photo(11.00AM-11.30 AM)
• Session 1:---Chair ACS (Forests), Co-Chair: Dr. Adam J. Daigneault, Rapporteurs: Rohini and Alok and Anu Naggar
• Key note speech by Dr. Steven Hamburg, Chief Scientist, Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), International Work Program, Massachusetts, USA. Presentation "Role of forests and bio-energy in a low-C economy." (11.30AM-12.15 PM)---10 minutes are for discussion/Q & A
• Key note speech by Prof. Dr. N.H. Ravindranath, Centre for Sustainable Technologies and for Ecological Sciences, IISc.  Bangalore. Presentation "Climate Change and Forests; emissions, mitigation and impacts and vulnerability" (12.15 PM-1.00PM) ---10 minutes are for discussion/Q & A
• Key note speech by Dr. Jayant Sathaye, Senior Scientist and Leader, International Energy Studies Group, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, USA; Presentation on ‘Global REDD program and the challenges.’ (1.00 PM-1.45 PM) ---10 minutes are for discussion/Q & A
• LUNCH( 1.45 PM-2.45 PM)
• Session 2 on Remote Sensing---Speakers(2.45 PM to 4.45 PM) ---10 minutes are for discussion / Q & A; Chair: Dr. J. S. Samra, CEO, NRAA, Co-Chair: ACS Environment, Rapporteurs: Dhaval Negandhi & Munish Sikka , IIFM Bhopal

1. Dr. Chandra P. Giri, Principal Scientist and Project Lead International Land Cover and Biodiversity, ARSC Research and Technology Solutions, Contractor USGS Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center, Sioux Falls, SD, 57198, USA. Presentation “Role of remote sensing in Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Developing Countries (REDD).”
2. Dr. V.K. Dadhwal, Dean, IIRS, Dehradun.  Presentation "Use of Remote Sensing for understanding carbon balance of Indian Forests."
3. Dr. Zhiliang Zhu, U. S. Geological Survey, Sunrise Valley Drive, Reston, VA 20192, USA. Presentation: “U.S. Geological Survey Methodology for Assessing and Monitoring Ecological Carbon Sequestration.”

• Tea/Coffee (4.45 PM to 5 PM)

• Session 3 on Eco-Tourism---Speaker(s)(5.00 PM to 5.45 PM) ---10 minutes are for discussion/Q & A; Chair: PCCF(HP); Co-Chair: Dr. L.M.S.Palni, Director, GB Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment & Development, Almora, Rapporteur: Mr. Sushil SIngla, DFO Poanta

Key-note speaker: Dr. Sanjay Nepal, Associate Professor, Associate Dept. Head - Undergraduate Program, Department of Recreation, Park and Tourism Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, USA. Presentation “Ecotourism and Climate Change: An Action-oriented Strategy for the Mountains.”

• Planning for group work for 20th November, 2009( 5.45 PM-6.30 PM)

DAY 2

• Session 4 on Climate Change---Speakers (9.30 AM to 11.30 PM) ---10 minutes are for discussion /Q & A; Chair: Chief Secretary (HP); Co-Chair: Dr. Chandra Giri, Principal Scientist and Project Lead International Land Cover and Biodiversity, USA, Rapporteurs: Rohini & Vij

Key-note speaker: 1. Dr. Adam J. Daigneault, Environmental Fellow, The Deshpande Foundation, Karnataka; Presentation "Role of Global Forests in Climate Change Mitigation."

2. Dr. J. S. Samra, CEO, NRAA. Presentation on “Participatory Integrated Watershed Management and Adaptations to Climate Change"

• Tea/Coffee break (11.30 AM-11.45 PM)
• Session 5, 6, 7 will be parallel sessions in Silver lobby, Darbar Hall, and Conference room (11.45 PM-1.45 PM) ---10 minutes are for discussion/Q & A, respectively
• Session 5: THEME 1: State of forest resources in Western Himalayan Mountain states and sustainable forest management for meeting emerging challenges and fulfilling the multi-sectoral role of the forest sector; Chair: Dr. Sanjay Nepal, Univ. of Texas, Co-Chair: Dr. R.B.S.Rawat, Pr.CCF (Uttarakhand), Rapporteurs: IIFM Bhopal

1. Inter-sectoral forest dependence in mountain areas and increasing importance of the forest sector; Importance of forests for drinking water, irrigation, hydro power, tourism, agriculture, horticulture, industry, and local livelihoods;
2. The critical threats to the state of forest resources [including faunal (wild-life) and floral bio-diversity] in the state and how are these to be addressed?
3. Forest local biomass dependence & steps taken by the State Governments to resolve;

Speakers

1. Dr. L.M.S.Palni, Director, GB Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment & Development, Almora, Presentation on ‘CONSERVATION AND MONITORING OF HIMALAYAN ECOSYSTEM.’
2. Dr. G. S. Rawat, WLI, Dehradun

• Session 6: THEME 2: Institutional Roles in Forest Governance, relevance of substantive community management and a multi-stakeholder approach for meeting multiple needs

Chair: Dr. Tej Pratap, VC, KVV Palampur, Co-chair: Mr. A.K.Gulati, APCCF(H.P); Rapporteurs: Anil Vaidya, Dr. Hemant Gupta

1. Forest and Common land tenures and settlements  – the basis for a just and sustainable forest management regime;

      2. Nested Forest Management – revisiting the Beat as a basic unit of management; 

      3. Roles for stakeholders in sustainable forest management and forest governance;

4. Meaningful  participation---Create a more collaborative decision-making process that recognizes the rights of a variety of stakeholders to participate in decision-making, whether it is NGOs, villages, academia, other public agencies or the private sector;

      5. Options for balancing need for biomass and multiple environmental services;

6. Tools: a) Land use planning and zoning, b) Tenure, c) Silviculture–oriented for local biomass requirements and environmental service;

      7. Gender sensitization;

Speakers

1. Dr. Rajesh Thadani, Executive Director, Centre for Ecology, Development and Research (CEDAR). Presentation “Community Participation in Forest Conservation:  Are we barking up the wrong tree?”
2. Dr. Sudha Vasan, Reader, Department of Sociology, Delhi School of Economics, University of Delhi, Delhi. Presentation: “The challenge of democratic decision making in climate change adaptation, or why ‘participation’ will not work.”

• Session 7: THEME 3: Impacts on mountain eco-systems & under forest sector, adaptation and mitigation potential for mountain related eco-systems

Chair: Dr. Steven Hamburg, Chief Scientist, EDF, USA, Co-Chair: Dr.  Madhu Verma, Prof. Environment & Development Economics, Indian Institute of Forest Management, Bhopal. Rapporteurs: IISc Bangalore

1. Climate change impact on mountain forests /vegetative cover, forest hydrology and other sectors;

      2. Role of woody vegetation in sequestering carbon and how to address the same?

3. Role of forests and other landscapes in providing water quality and lean season flows at multiple scales;

      4. Adaptation and Mitigation potential for mountain related eco-systems and forests;

5. Adapting to forest disturbance while maintaining the genetic diversity and resilience of forest ecosystems, adjustments in ecological, social, and economic systems—biome shifts;

6. CDM---A & R and bio-mass projects; Green India Mission, REDD—scope and potential for mountain states;

7. De-carbonizing potential, Energy solutions for a low-carbon energy economy,  options to leap-frog to cleaner development paths;

      8. Ecotourism—linkage with Climate Change and Global warming;

      9. Managing provision of local ecosystem services and biomass along with carbon;

Speakers

1. Dr. Archana Godbole, Presentation: “Forest governance, biodiversity conservation and opportunities   for climate change adaptations in Himachal Pradesh, India”.
2. Dr. Renu Singh, Biodiversity and Climate Change Division, Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education, Dehra Dun; Presentation on 'REDD: Scope and Implication for India's Forests'.
3. Dr. Purnamita Dasgupta, Ford Foundation Chair & Acting Head, Environmental Economics Unit, Institute of Economic Growth, University of Delhi Enclave, Delhi. Presentation on "Economic Aspects of Forest Valuation"

• LUNCH( 1.45 PM-2.45 PM)

• Session 8, 9, 10 will be parallel sessions in Darbar Hall, Silver lobby and conference room (2.45 PM-4.45 PM) ---10 minutes are for discussion/Q & A, respectively
• Session 8: THEME 4: Market Strategies, Voluntary Carbon Markets and Carbon Neutral Strategies; Fiscal mechanisms for forest conservation

Chairman: Dr. Zhiliang Zhu, U. S. Geological Survey, USA, Co-Chair: Dr. R. K. Sood, Member Secretary, S & T,    Rapporteurs: IIFM Bhopal

      1. Pollution taxes and transferable/tradable permits;

2. Develop market mechanisms and incentives that promote future development of eco-services;

3. Payments for environmental services, incentives and institutions, rights for a stable policy environment and as incentives, financial incentives & in-kind incentives;

4. Standards and other tools for a biodiversity friendly, pro-community oriented incentive-based mechanisms;

Speakers:-

1. Mr. Swapan Mehra, President, Evolution Markets (an American Firm), Carbon Markets, New Delhi. Presentation on "Ecosystem Markets for promoting Forestry Conservation: Learning from Carbon Markets."
2. Mr. Chetan Agarwal, Senior Program Officer (Natural Resources Management), WINROCK International, Gurgaon. Presentation on “Incentivizing communities for securing environmental services: The role of PES and tenure in hilly areas.”
3. Dr.  Madhu Verma, Prof. Environment & Development Economics, Indian Institute of Forest Management, Bhopal; Presentation on 'Economic Valuation as Knowledge Base for Developing Fiscal Mechanisms for Sustainable Management of Ecosystem Services from Himalayan Forests.'
1. Session 9:  THEME 5: Research & Monitoring Orientation, Information gaps, International Co-operation and Best Practices, Chair: Dr. Paramvir Singh Ahuja, Director, IHBT, Palampur, Dr. G.S.Rawat, DG ICFRE; Rapporteurs: Ajeet Thakur, Anil Sharma

      1. Monitoring and research strategies to address climate change;

      2. What are the gaps in information? What are the available methods to fill such gaps?

      3. What kind of partnerships can help bridge such gaps

      4. Best practices

Speakers

1. Dr. Jyoti Parikh, Presentation: ‘Climate vulnerability and Himalayan ecosystem.’
2. Dr. Rana, National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources Regional Station, Phagli, Shimla

• Session 10: THEME 6: Forest Certification (This is being organized/sponsored by WWF India)

Chair: Dr. V.K. Dadhwal, Dean, IIRS Dehradun, Co-Chair: Mr. Ravi Kesar, Director, J & K; Rapporteurs: P. Rana & O.P.Solanki

Speakers

1. Mr. Vinay Gupta, Senior Advisor (Trade), Canadian High Commission, New Delhi. Presentation on “Sustainable Forestry Initiatives in Canada.”
2. Dr. T. R. Manoharan, WWF, Senior Coordinator, Forest Policy and Economics & Head, GFTN-India, WWF-India Secretariat, New Delhi 

• Tea/Coffee( 4.45 PM-5.00 PM)

• Session 11: Plenary: (5.00 PM to 6.00 PM), Theme 7: Forest Policy for the hill states, Venue: Darbar hall

Chair: Dr. Jyoti Parikh, Co-Chairs: ACS (Forest) & ACS (Environment); Rapporteurs: Sushil Kapta and Manoj Bhaik

Speakers

1. Mr. Vinay Tandon, Pr.CCF (HP)
2. Mr. R.S.Rawat, Pr.CCF (Uttarakhand) 
3. Mr. Ravi Kesar, Director, Environment, J & K

• Session 12: (6 PM -7 PM): Group Work and Output

DAY 3: Venue Darbar Hall, Hotel Peterhof (10.30 AM-1.00 PM)

Wrap-Up by ACS Forests

Addresses by Hon’ble FMs of Uttarakhand, J & K & Himachal

Key address by Hon’ble Chief Minister, Himachal Pradesh

Vote of thanks by JS Walia

Press briefing, Lunch, Excursion to Naldera (2.30 PM -6.30 PM)