Nairobi, 28 April 2015 - Zambia's forest ecosystems contribute $1.3 billion, roughly 6.3 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP), to the national economy, further highlighting the crucial role forests can play in the global transition to a green economy, according to a new UNEP study.
Commissioned by the Government of Zambia, produced in partnership with the UN-REDD Programme, and released ahead of the High-Level Dialogue on Zambia's Draft National REDD+ Strategy, Benefits of Forest Ecosystems in Zambia and the Role of REDD+ in a Green Economy Transformation takes a wider look at the value of forest ecosystems.
The report goes beyond elements already counted as value added in Zambia's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) - for example, wood products - to consider regulating, supporting and cultural services services such as eco-tourism, erosion control and sediment retention, pollination and carbon storage.
Looking exclusively at these additional services, the study found they are worth $515 million per annum, or around 2.5 per cent of GDP. This means that forest services have been undervalued by between 40 and 68 per cent. The inclusion of these additional services elevates the contribution of forests from 3.8 per cent to around 6.3 per cent of the 2010 GDP.
In addition, Zambia's forests provide about 1.4 million jobs, supporting 60 per cent of rural Zambian households who are heavily dependent upon the use of natural resources to supplement or sustain their livelihoods.
"From providing jobs to regulating water supplies and capturing carbon dioxide, using forests in a more sustainable way is vital to transit to a green economy," said UN Under-Secretary-General and UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner.
- See more at: http://www.unep.org/newscentre/Default.aspx?DocumentID=26802&ArticleID=34990&l=en#sthash.BKtcoofb.dpuf
