Synergies among climate change and biodiversity conservation measures and policies in the forest sector: A case study of Southeast Asian countries

Forest conservation contributes to climate change mitigation, adaptation, and biodiversity/ecosystem conservation. To enhance the co-benefits of forest conservation, it is important to promote synergies among the three measures—mitigation, adaptation, and biodiversity/ecosystem conservation—in the forest sector and eliminate the overlaps among the three measures. However, limited research exists on the analysis of their synergies. This study explores the potential for synergy among the three forest sector measures, utilizing: 1) indicators that assess enabling conditions for synergies among the three measures at the different institutional levels of policies and strategies, institutional arrangements, and financing and programs/projects; and 2) case studies of five countries in Southeast Asia: Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Lao PDR, and Cambodia.This analysis shows that the five countries all require various changes at different institutional levels in order to enhance their synergy potentials. The findings indicate the importance of national actors, financial mechanisms, programs, and projects in addressing the three measures. In terms of national actors, Thailand has the highest synergy potential due to its national-level committees and a single ministry that addresses all three measures. To enhance their synergy potentials, the other countries need to create national-level committees that address the three measures, and/or they need to enhance collaboration between the various ministries that represent the environment and forestry issues. At the financing and program/project aspects, Vietnam has the highest synergy potential. The other four countries need to develop common national funds that finance the three measures and/or develop joint programs and projects that address the three measures simultaneously.