Climate change mitigation

Assisting countries with policies and programs that support sustainable development, particularly through initiatives that reduce the carbon footprint associated with the growth of their economies, is an increasingly important area of work for AusAID.

International Forest Carbon Initiative

Australia's International Forest Carbon Initiative (IFCI)—jointly implemented by AusAID and DCCEE—aims to demonstrate that Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Developing Countries can be part of an effective international response to climate change. Total funding allocated for the initiative to date is $273 million—including $56 million in new funding in the 2010–11 International Development Assistance Budget.

Within the framework of the Indonesia–Australia Forest Carbon Partnership, Australia will support Indonesia in the development of its national framework for avoided deforestation and in the implementation of the Kalimantan Forests and Climate Partnership. The latter partnership, the first large scale demonstration activity of its kind, aims to prevent the deforestation of up to 70,000 hectares of Kalimantan's peat land forests, rehabilitate 200,000 hectares of degraded peat land and plant up to 100 million new trees on rehabilitated peat land.

Through the PNG–Australia Forest Carbon Partnership, Australia will assist Papua New Guinea to develop its deforestation policies and forest carbon measurement system. Australia will also assist Papua New Guinea in demonstration activities to enable its participation in future international forest carbon markets.

Australia's contribution to the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility will assist developing countries to establish credible estimates of their national forest carbon stocks, identify sources of forest-related emissions, determine the opportunity costs of avoided deforestation interventions and design appropriate response strategies.

More information on the International Forest Carbon Initiative (DCCEE)

International Forest Carbon Initiative Concept Development Grants

Under the International Forest Carbon Initiative, up to $1.5 million has been made available to support international non–government organisations (NGOs) to develop concepts for REDD+ demonstration activities.
International NGOs have practical, on the ground experience, particularly in providing alternative livelihoods to local communities and in developing and implementing programs that provide payments for environmental services. The International Forest Carbon Initiative aims to draw upon this knowledge by supporting relevant NGOs to develop concepts for incentive–based REDD+ demonstration activities in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.

The three key objectives of the grants are to:

Demonstrate, through the activity concepts, that REDD+ can be part of an equitable and effective future global outcome on climate change.
Promote creativity, transparency and methodological rigour by supporting the development of a range of ideas to identify how investment in REDD+ can achieve emission reductions while promoting sustainable livelihood options for forest-dependent communities.
Strengthen linkages between local initiatives and national governments in order to inform those governments’ thinking on how to shape national REDD+ strategies and launch demonstration activities in selected areas/landscape types.

The grant funding supports the development of initial demonstration activity concepts, which are then provided to the host country’s national governments for their consideration.

Other climate change mitigation activities

Australia also provides assistance to improve energy sector policies, finance high priority energy projects and support clean energy initiatives. This includes activities that address issues such as energy efficiency and renewable energy in the Mekong and Pacific regions. Australia's partnerships with the multilateral development banks and other donors include the following:

A two year, $7 million program of support to the Clean Energy Financing Partnership Facility, managed by the Asian Development Bank. The facility provides financial resources and technical support to improve energy security in developing countries and reduce carbon emissions through increased use of clean energy.
$3 million over two years to a global technical assistance program managed by the World Bank. The Energy Sector Management Assistance Program helps build consensus and provides policy advice on sustainable energy development. It also contributes to the transfer of technology and knowledge in energy sector management and the delivery of modern energy services to the poor.

Last reviewed: 1 July, 2010