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Comparative Multi-Criteria Assessment of Climate Policies and Sustainable Development Strategies in Cameroon: Towards a GIS Decision-Support Tool for the Design of an Optimal REDD+ Strategy

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  • Anderson Gwanyebit Kehbila

    (EcoXergy Solutions Inc., 1500-885 West Georgia Street, Vancouver, BC V6C 3E8, Canada
    Regional Scientist on Agricultural Systems Intensification, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), 4163, Avenue Haut-Congo, Commune de la Gombe, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo)

  • Dieudonne Alemagi

    (Climate Change and Policy Associate, World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) Regional Office, P.O. Box 16317, Yaoundé, Cameroon)

  • Peter Akong Minang

    (ASB Global Coordinator and Senior Scientist, ICRAF Head Quarters, P.O. Box 30677, Nairobi 00100, Kenya)

Abstract

Cameroon is committed to reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation plus conservation, sustainable management of forests and enhancement of carbon stocks (REDD+). To achieve this goal, the government has introduced a series of policy reforms and formulated a number of key strategic planning documents to advance the REDD+ readiness process in Cameroon. This paper assesses the extent to which major cross-sectoral policies support or impede the development and implementation of an optimal REDD+ strategy in Cameroon from a comparative multi-criteria perspective. Study results reveal that a majority of the policy instruments reviewed appeared to be less prescriptive in terms of any tangible REDD+ strategy, as they do not have provisions for tangible measures to reduce deforestation and forest degradation. Given the lack of adequate flexibility, prompt review and responsiveness of these cross-sectoral policies to adapt themselves to new realities and respond to a changing environment, this paper introduces a GIS-REDD+ decision support system (GIS-REDD+DSS) that is necessary to support the adaptive element of an adaptive REDD+ strategy in Cameroon. The GIS-REDD+DSS, an electronic REDD+agri intermediary hub, serves the following purpose: (1) host a database of locally-relevant climate information, improved input technologies, best practices as well as land use and forest cover geo-spatial maps; (2) host a virtual economic tool that performs economic valuations (costs and benefits) and financial analysis of REDD+agri projects to aid investment decision-making; and (3) host an electronic marketplace to mediate any-to-any transactions among REDD+agri project developers, service providers, input suppliers, private and institutional investors and buyers (wholesalers and retailers), thereby creating value in two ways: aggregation and matching. This decision support tool, we argue, is a fundamental prerequisite for “policy and REDD+ safeguard integration” innovation that allows new scientific findings to be integrated into REDD+ strategies in a short period of time.

Suggested Citation

  • Anderson Gwanyebit Kehbila & Dieudonne Alemagi & Peter Akong Minang, 2014. "Comparative Multi-Criteria Assessment of Climate Policies and Sustainable Development Strategies in Cameroon: Towards a GIS Decision-Support Tool for the Design of an Optimal REDD+ Strategy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 6(9), pages 1-16, September.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:6:y:2014:i:9:p:6125-6140:d:40071
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Mbaka, Nfah Eustace & Mucho, Ngundam John & Godpromesse, Kenne, 2010. "Economic evaluation of small-scale photovoltaic hybrid systems for mini-grid applications in far north Cameroon," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 35(10), pages 2391-2398.
    2. Golub, Alla & Hertel, Thomas & Lee, Huey-Lin & Rose, Steven & Sohngen, Brent, 2009. "The opportunity cost of land use and the global potential for greenhouse gas mitigation in agriculture and forestry," Resource and Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 31(4), pages 299-319, November.
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    6. Peter Minang & Michael McCall & Margaret Skutsch & Jeroen Verplanke, 2008. "A data support infrastructure for Clean Development Mechanism forestry implementation: an inventory perspective from Cameroon," Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, Springer, vol. 13(2), pages 157-178, February.
    7. Dieudonne Alemagi & Peter A. Minang & Mireille Feudjio & Lalisa Duguma, 2014. "REDD+ readiness process in Cameroon: an analysis of multi-stakeholder perspectives," Climate Policy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 14(6), pages 709-733, November.
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    2. Trotter, Philipp A. & McManus, Marcelle C. & Maconachie, Roy, 2017. "Electricity planning and implementation in sub-Saharan Africa: A systematic review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 1189-1209.

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