A mechanism for reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries - REDD - has been on the table for years as part of the climate change negotiations.
As time has passed, scientific evidence as well as public awareness of the importance of the world's forest cover has grown, and the COP 15 meetings in Copenhagen clearly reflected this development.
Meanwhile, NGOs and other stakeholders have lobbied strongly for the REDD mechanism to safeguard values of forests beyond carbon storage, such as nature protection and provision of livelihoods for local people. Negotiations on the exact architecture of REDD, or REDD+ mechanism as it has come to be called after other activities have been added to it, went on throughout the COP 15 summit.
Consensus is buidling on REDD+
REDD+ is attractive to most stakeholders participating in the climate change negotiations for the following reasons:
- Deforestation/degradation represents 15-20% of the damaging greenhouse gas emissions globally and as much as 60% of emissions in the tropics.
- REDD+ investments are seen as one of the most cost-effective ways of tackling the greenhouse gas reductcion challenge. Ultimately many other strategies will be necessary, but they are usually more costly per ton of greenhouse gas and will take longer to have impact. Thus, governments and others see REDD+ as a less costly, fast action path.
- The science and practice behind the REDD+ investments is stronger than in Kyoto. Only reforestation and afforestation were approved in Kyoto as forest interventions. the shortcomings of that approach are now readily observable - we have lost masive forest areas, not attacked key drivers of deforestation, and now have the results - increased greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation.
- On the other hand, REDD+ represents an inclusive approach to halting deforestation that not only stops the damaging emissions but also helps to preserve a range of ecosystem services provided for the forests. Services that are vital for millions of people.
Fair REDD+ deal may be visible on the horizon
The latest draft decision text on REDD+ made enormous strides during the negotiations, and negotiators worked into the small hours night after night.
Numerous parties weighed in to help forge consensus on safeguarding rights of indigenous peoples and local forest communities in developing nations. The existing on REDD+ represents a significant change in how the conviction to conserve forestlands is poised to sit within an international agreement – if one can be reached.
Rainforest Alliance was in Copenhagen to push for a strong REDD+ agreement, one that set strong financial commitments by developed countries and goals for halting deforestation by tropical forest nations.Efforts to finalize a concrete deal on the REDD+ scheme did not reach a conclusion, although the negotiators came close according to observers.
Rebecca Bolt Ettlinger of the Danish NGO Nepenthes comments: "The process seems to promise an REDD+ deal next year. We are now seeing indigenous peoples' rights and conservation of natural forest ecocystems mentioned in draft agreements. That is a significant landmark, although there's still plenty of scope for improvement of the draft". She points out that the wording is still not sufficiently rigorous to ensure nature conservation or the rights of indigenous peoples under the REDD+ scheme. "But now these points are at least part of the talks. The rights of indigenous peoples weren't even considered relevant for the climate talks at Bali", Ettlinger notes. "There's been some positive development. Now we need to follow up and lobby for a fair deal in Mexico next year, one that will really be effective in protecting natural forests".
REDD+ and FSC
When the concept of REDD+ and the requirements of FSC certification are compared, it seems clear that FSC certification could play an important role as a baseline standard for actions and projects under the REDD+ scheme. FSC is currently carrying out analyses and pilot projects to explore these synergies. When REDD+ gets off the ground, this may lead to rapid expansion of the FSC scheme.
Also, since sustainable forest management is now poised to be included in the REDD+ concept, the FSC governance system could lend itself well to ensuring rigorous REDD+ implementation. It is hard to think of a better governance system for buttressing REDD+.
Learn more
Manager of the Rainforest Alliance's climate initiatives Jeff Hayward provides an excellent guest commentary on REDD+ and the climate negotiations in Point Carbon News
We also recommend the Little REDD book prepared by the Global Canopy Programme.