Norwegian government to Peru on the JDI: "We are waiting for results"

Servindi, April 24, 2019.- Thorstein Wangen, adviser for Climate and Forestry Affairs of the Royal Norwegian Embassy, said that his country is "waiting for results" from Peru within the framework of the Join Declaration of Intent (JDI or DCI, in spanish).

The statements were gathered during a meeting between indigenous organizations, civil society, Ministry of Environment (Minam) and the Norwegian and German government representatives, which took place on April 11.

In this way, Wangen agreed with the concerns expressed by the Interethnic Association for the Development of the Peruvian Jungle (Aidesep) regarding the delay in the implementation of Phase II of the JDI whose goals were to be met in 2020.

The vice president of Aidesep, Richard Rubio, said that his organization, along with its nine regional offices, relied on this stage where the Minam offered and accepted its proposals on security and territorial surveillance, Indigenous REDD+, protection of the PIACI, Full Life economy, among others.

In this regard, he said that MINAM was notified about the fact that the Aidesep plan costs 7 million dollars "and we need it to be carried out and executed by Aidesep and its nine regional offices, without mixing and confusing with other organizations, ministries, regional governments or municipalities."

"Our concern is that the longer time goes by, the threat goes against us and the JDI's climate contribution will be minimal," said Richard Rubio.

In response, the representative of the Norwegian Government recalled that financial mechanisms have to comply with several processes, including results that involve the transfer of funds.

"I understand the concern. I also understand that financial mechanism is being talked about for a long time. I see the need to finance projects and the feeling that there is always talk about that, but there is no clear answer, "he said.

During his speech, consultant Roberto Espinoza, warned of the delay in the implementation of Phase II of the JDI. "Is that going to be fulfilled? Are we going to enter into a budgetary design process of more than $ 26 million or what is going to be executed in a year and a half?" Espinoza asked.

"Or is that going to be debated with the argument that the financial mechanism of 'payment for results' will be delayed and will continue to change deadlines, details and end up entangled and frustrated?" Espinoza continued.

Likewise, he observed the exaggeration in the vision of the Amazon-s future of the supposed "green agriculture" that is behind the design of phase II of the DCI and that assigns a lower value to the strategic climate contribution of the indigenous territories.

He also referred to the plan before the carbon fund (San Martin and Ucayali) and that may distort the design of the public financial mechanism of "payment for climate results and distribution of benefits".

Forest Strategy and Climate Change

On his part, Gustavo Suárez de Freitas from the Earth Innovation Institute pointed out that the MINAM does not see an effort to implement the National Strategy for Forests and Climate Change.

He indicated that: "The reduction of emissions in the sector of land use change will not be achieved if a lot of things that are in the Strategy for Forests and Climate Change but not in the implementation of the JDI are not done" he said.

In addition, he criticized that although the articulation of the projects was discussed, the responsible officials still appear in the regions to present the projects in a disjointed manner.

Faced with this questioning, Rosa Morales Saravia, general director of Climate Change and Desertification at MINAM, highlighted the "broad vision" of the Strategy and "its participatory construction".

It identifies all the actors that have a role to play in order to have a national vision and a broad perspective on the forests and climate change issue.

"We think it is one of the instruments, perhaps the most important, that guides the action," he said and announced the publication of the document.

Deforestation Reduction

The vice president of Aidesep, Richard Rubio said that his organization proposes they propose the climate ambition with which they seek to minimize the impacts and train the new officials, who are often unaware of the issue.

"We are not only talking about an indigenous issue, we are talking about a national and international issue that should concern us all," he exhorted.

After his speech, German Government representative said, "The necessary measures must be taken to reach the objective". He also said that the deforestation reduction is not only a climate issue, but also a social one.

"Deforestation continues throughout the world. Global analyzes say that the only country that reduced deforestation is Indonesia. Nobody would think that the country with the highest rate of deforestation would manage to reduce it, "he warned.

He also said, "It is easier to reach the result if we work together and united".

- In defense of the forests: the Joint Declaration of Intent (DCI) on climate change  (PDF, spanish version)

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