Rules governing the REDD (Reductions of Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation) scheme have yet to be established. Different national interests compete within the debate on baselines in order to maximize expected gains. The scheme could have a deleterious impact on the carbon market through massive hot air creation (fake emission reductions), and ultimately on the current international climate change regime derived from the cap-and-trade architecture adopted by the Kyoto Protocol. The political economy of avoided deforestation is frequently overlooked as is the issue of additionality, although both of them are more critical with deforestation at national level than they could be with project-based CDM. An alternative REDD architecture which relies on a special fund would not only allow protection of the carbon market against massive fl ooding by non additional credits, but could also help fi nance potentially effi cient policies and measures.Sustaining long-term adequate funding is still an issue to be addressed on a multilateral basis.
Tag: deforestation
Efficient, fair and sustainable: can REDD be all three?
Reducing Emissions from Deforestation (and Degradation) in Developing countries (REDD) is a target with the potential to reduce (halve) the 18% of net greenhouse gas emissions that is due to land use change in the tropics. It thus deserves considerable attention. However, there were good reasons in previous rounds of the discussions in the Kyoto protocol to avoid the issue, as questions on additionality, leakage and permanence make it nearly impossible to implement REDD at pilot scale. It will require assessment and design for large areas, providing livelihood alternatives, dealing with direct drivers of deforestation, and providing good data quality on changes in emissions compared to an agreed baseline. ICRAF joined a team of international and national consultants to the Government of Indonesia in the Indonesian Forest Climate Alliance (IFCA) in 2007 to explore the issue. In applying the realistic/conditional/voluntary/pro-poor framework, a major dilemma was identified in the’efficiency’ versus’fairness’ tradeoff. If all attention and investment will go to the situations with the largest emission reduction per
¿Crecen los árboles sobre el dinero?: implicaciones de la investigación sobre deforestación en las medidas para promover la REDD
This paper has two objectives. First, it analyzes the past research on deforestation and summarizes the findings of that research, in terms of its relevance to the development of future REDD regimes. Second, it highlights areas where future research and methodological development are needed to support national and international processes on avoided deforestation and degradation.
Reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD) in Indonesia: options and challenges for fair and efficient payment distribution mechanisms
The objective of REDD payment distribution mechanisms is to support policies and measures that reduce deforestation and degradation through transfer of revenues from international REDD funds or carbon markets to (or within) national levels. This may provide benefits of three types: a) shared responsibility for reducing a major driver of global climate change, b) financial payments and co-investment that exceed the economic opportunities foregone from decisions to maintain carbon stocks, and c) co-benefits through the other environmental service functions that well-maintained forests can provide. Given its track record of high emissions from land use and land use change of an estimated 2.5 Gt CO2e year-1, Indonesia provides a huge opportunity as well as serious challenge to reduce emissions. We report here on a series of stakeholder consultations and focus group discussions to identify options and challenges. To ensure demonstrable results on emission reduction, REDD mechanisms must be effective in targeting the wide range of agents involved in deforestation and degradation, learning lessons from past and ongoing conservation efforts that have apparently failed. They must reward good performance and incentivize improved performance compared to reference scenarios, and adequately compensate agents that suffer losses from changed practices. International payments are likely to be performance based, both in terms of emission reduction at national scale and the environmental and social impacts of the system, meaning that accountability, transparency, risk management, adequate benefits transfer and administration mechanisms will be essential for attracting investment. Indonesia will be effectively competing for attention and REDD funds with other countries with currently high pemissions and/or large forest areas. A strong international ‘bargaining position’ requires that internal conflicts and strategic positioning be overcome
Palm oil and likely futures: Assessing the potential impacts of zero deforestation commitments and a moratorium on large-scale oil palm plantations in Indonesia
Key messages
- This brief examines two contrasting policy options: the implementation of zero deforestation commitments by the private sector and a complete moratorium on the expansion of large-scale oil palm plantations, and compares them to a situation without policy action.
- The zero deforestation commitments and the moratorium on large-scale oil palm plantations expansion could reduce cumulative deforestation by 25% and 28%, respectively, compared to a situation without policy action. They could also cut greenhouse gas emissions from land use and land-use change by 13% and 16%, respectively, over the period 2010-2030.
- Even under the zero-deforestation and moratorium scenarios, Indonesia is projected to increase palm oil production between 124%-97% over 2010-2030, which is partly due to higher production originating from smallholders.
- Both measures – the zero deforestation commitments and a moratorium of future large-scale oil palm plantations expansion – would be especially beneficial to limit future deforestation in Indonesia in a context in which global demand for palm oil is expected to keep increasing.
- Foresight tools can equip stakeholders and policy makers with data and information to allow for evidence-based policy making. This will permit planning for reducing deforestation and greenhouse gas emissions, and finding options acceptable to all stakeholders involved.
O que acontece depois que os pagamentos para a conservação são encerrados? Resultados sobre REDD+ no Brasil
Mensagens-chave
- Avaliamos os impactos de um projeto de REDD+ que pagou pequenos agricultores para reduzirem o desmatamento na Amazônia brasileira. A avaliação foi feita durante e após os pagamentos.
- Descobrimos que os pagamentos foram eficazes na redução do desmatamento, mas apenas enquanto duraram.
- Após o término dos pagamentos, o desmatamento foi retomado, mas não a um ritmo que eliminasse os resultados anteriores de conservação.
- A redução do desmatamento, portanto, dependia da continuidade dos pagamentos. Porém, os ganhos ambientais foram mantidos mesmo após seu encerramento.
Que se passe-t-il après l’arrêt des paiements de conservation? Principales conclusions de la REDD+ au Brésil
Messages clés
- Nous avons évalué les impacts d’un projet REDD+ comportant des paiements aux petits exploitants pour réduire la déforestation en Amazonie brésilienne, pendant et après ces paiements.
- Nous avons constaté que les paiements ont été efficaces pour réduire la déforestation, mais seulement pendant qu’ils étaient en cours.
- Après la fin des paiements, la déforestation a repris, mais à un rythme qui n’annulait pas les résultats précédents en matière de conservation des forêts.
- Pour réduire la déforestation, les paiements étaient nécessaires, mais les gains environnementaux ont perduré.
¿Qué sucede después de que se detienen los pagos para la conservación? Conclusiones principales sobre REDD+ en Brasil
Mensajes clave
- Evaluamos los impactos de un proyecto de REDD+ que pagó a pequeños agricultores para reducir la deforestación en la Amazonía brasileña, durante y después de los pagos.
- Hallamos que los pagos fueron efectivos en reducir la deforestación, pero solo mientras estuvieron en curso.
- Después de la finalización de los pagos, se reanudó la deforestación, pero no a un ritmo que eliminara los resultados de conservación anteriores.
- Se requieron pagos para reducir la deforestación, pero los beneficios ambientales perduraron.
Apa yang terjadi setelah pembayaran konservasi berhenti? Sejumlah temuan kunci dari REDD+ di Brasil
Pesan Utama
- Kami menilai dampak proyek REDD+ yang membayar petani skala kecil untuk menurunkan deforestasi di Amazon Brasil, selama dan setelah pembayaran.
- Kami menemukan bahwa pembayaran efektif dalam mengurangi deforestasi, tetapi hanya ketika program sedang berlangsung.
- Setelah pembayaran berakhir, deforestasi dilanjutkan, tetapi tidak pada tingkat yang menghilangkan hasil konservasi hutan sebelumnya.
- Penurunan deforestasi membutuhkan pembayaran, tetapi keuntungan untuk lingkungan tetap ada.
Green and climate finance resource mobilization guide for Kenyan counties
With a GDP of approximately USD 116 billion in 2024 and a real GDP growth rate of 5%, Kenya stands as one of East Africa’s largest and most diversified economies. The country’s economic foundation is built on agriculture, tourism, manufacturing, and services, with natural resources playing a vital role in sustaining livelihoods. However, Kenya faces pressing environmental challenges, including deforestation, water scarcity, land degradation, pollution, and the growing impacts of climate change. Rising temperatures, erratic rainfall, and extreme weather events threaten economic stability and social well-being, particularly in climate-sensitive sectors such as agriculture, energy, and water resources. Addressing these challenges through sustainable policies and climate adaptation strategies will be crucial for ensuring long-term resilience and economic sustainability.