Reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD) in developing countries

UNFCCC Climate Change Talks, 1st – 12th June 2009, Bonn


To be successful, the REDD+ regime should foster explicit linkages between nationally-owned forest governance processes and nationally appropriate mitigation actions (NAMAs).

IUCN welcomes the recognition by many Parties that forest-based mitigation opportunities are more likely to be successful if REDD+ modalities explicitly complement on-going forest governance reform, respect and reinforce the rights of Indigenous Peoples and other forest-dependent communities, with particular attention to the interests of women, and underpin the conservation and sustainable management of forests.

IUCN welcomes that in this context, several Parties have highlighted the need to address drivers of deforestation, which often lie outside the direct influence of the forest sector, including agriculture, energy, urbanization and infrastructure development.

There is a substantial body of international agreements and best practice guidance that REDD+ can build upon for implementation at national level. These include, inter alia, the United Nations Non-legally Binding Instrument on All Types of Forests (2007); the Expanded Programme of Work on Forest Biodiversity of the Convention on Biological Diversity and UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

IUCN recommends that a future REDD+ regime takes account of the co-dependent relationship between good forest governance and forest-based emissions reductions.

A mix of financial mechanisms could be employed to compensate for forest-based mitigation action.

IUCN welcomes the willingness of Parties to explore a range of compensation and financing mechanisms for REDD+. IUCN draws attention to recent proposals that promote flexibility with regards to REDD+ financing options and enable different financial mechanisms to be deployed at different stages of REDD+ development and implementation.

As with other schemes that compensate for opportunity costs or pay for ecosystems services, it is important that REDD+ funding supports local livelihoods, i.e. rewards the communities that implement the scheme. The long-term success of the REDD+ regime will depend, among others, on equitable benefit sharing with forest-dependent communities.

IUCN further welcomes the emerging consensus on the need to provide, in a first phase, finance to support REDD+ Readiness activities, including capacity-building, institutional strengthening, a broad participatory consultation process, technical assistance, improving governance and enforcement, as well as on initiating national programmes and demonstration projects.

IUCN encourages the AWG-LCA to explore how different financial mechanisms can be combined and sequenced in order to ensure that sufficient investment is made in policies and measures that lead to performance-based and equitable REDD+ delivery;

IUCN urges Parties to enhance coordination among the different relevant financing initiatives with which they may be involved with respect to supporting developing countries prepare for REDD+.

“Co-benefits” add value to the REDD+ regime

The benefits of a successful implementation of the REDD regime are not limited to climate change mitigation. 1,6 billion people depend on forest resources for their livelihoods and 60 million indigenous people depend directly on forests for their survival. Forests harbour three- quarters of the world’s terrestrial biodiversity: deforestation and degradation are one of the main causes of biodiversity loss. Well managed forest ecosystems have an essential climate regulatory role; they provide other important ecosystems services such as water regulation, food and shelter; they contribute to increased climate resilience; they enhance adaptive capacity especially when integrated into broader national adaptation strategies.

IUCN recommends that the provisions of the REDD+ regime should aim to maintain or to enhance the delivery of other important forest-related “co-benefits”

Source :
INTERNATIONAL UNION FOR CONSERVATION OF NATURE
(IUCN). www.iucn.org/unfccc