Reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD) projects: lessons for future policy design and implementation

Abstract

In response to the pressing global challenges of climate change, initiatives under the auspices of 'reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation' (REDD) have been implemented in over 30 developing and least-developed countries since 2005. The initiatives cover nearly every significant and vulnerable forest ecosystem worldwide. In this study we review six representative initiatives, two each from Africa, Asia and Latin America. Strength, weakness, opportunity and threat analysis is done to evaluate each initiative's policy framework, design, implementation and results thus far. The main policy and project implementation factors that appear to lead to effective and successful REDD project outcomes include having clearly formulated project design; governance, land tenure rights and capacity; equity and transparency; indigenous peoples' rights and knowledge; local-international coordination; and enhancing local and institutional capacities. Based on these findings, we provide recommendations for future REDD policy action and project implementation to make it work for the poor and achieve its intended goals.

REDD+ in West Africa: Politics of Design and Implementation in Ghana and Nigeria

“…Meanwhile, through the moratorium in the Cross River, REDD+ is reinforcing existing land and forest rights regimes that privilege state control [100,110,111]. Tenure complexities and lack of political will to implement significant tenure reforms has been one of the most widely reported challenge to REDD+ in Africa [86,[100][101][102] and elsewhere [88]. In the light of the political cost of tenure reform and the failure of REDD+ to incentivise real reform, there is a growing, if problematic, accommodation of intensified law enforcement, moratorium, and forest militarisation as "alternative policy options" for pursuing REDD+ [104].…”

Research on Climate Change Policies and Rural Development in Latin America: Scope and Gaps

“…There were few publications assessing the outcomes of climate policies such as the National Action Plan for Climate Change in Chile [44], or climate projects such as carbon forestry projects [45]. The outcomes of disaster risk management policies have been studied to provide lessons for the current and future development of adaptation policies.…”

“…Brazil and Colombia are making progress on increasing food production while sparing forests and lowering carbon emissions through sustainable supply chains, domestic policies, domestic finance, and REDD+ [86]. The design, implementation, and outcomes of several REDD+ projects were assessed considering their policy framework in order to draw lessons for future REDD+ policy design [45]. Similarly, the analysis of the outcomes of carbon initiatives, such as Scolel Te in Mexico [88], provided recommendations to policy makers that considered future forest mitigation policies.…”

Reflection on Peat Swamp Fires in Indonesia

“…CURRENT FINDINGS Indonesia's peat swamp fires that producing haze disaster for Southeast Asian region has been investigated by several scholars from many discipline: ecology [24], [25], cultural studies [26], politics [27], [28], public policy [29], and governance [30], [31]. Although [30] and [31] using the same perspective to explaining forest conservation policy in Indonesia, but they did not include the issue of peat swamp fires and haze disaster as the object of their study.…”