- A mechanism under UNFCC, since 2005, to mitigate climate change through reducing net emissions of greenhouse gases through enhanced forest management in developing countries.
- Inclusion of reducing emissions from land use change is considered essential to achieve the objectives of the UNFCCC.
- During the negotiations for Kyoto Protocol the inclusion of tropical forest management was debated but eventually dropped due to anticipated methodological difficulties in establishing – in particular – additionality and leakage (detrimental effects outside of project area attributable to project activities).
- REDD+ (Defined in Bali Action Plan, 2007, CoP13)
What constitutes “+”?
- sustainable management of forests,
- conservation of forest carbon stocks and
- enhancement of forest carbon stocks.
Difference between REDD and REDD+?
- REDD = “reducing emissions from deforestation in developing countries”
- REDD+ (or REDD-plus) = to “reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries, and the role of conservation, sustainable management of forests, and enhancement of forest carbon stocks in developing countries”
- REDD+ is essentially a vehicle to financially reward developing countries for their verified efforts to reduce emissions and enhance removals of greenhouse gases through a variety of forest management option.
- India favours REDD+
Uganda: First African country to submit REDD++
Uganda recently submitted its REDD++ results and has become the first African country to submit the results.
India’s REDD++
India has prepared National REDD++ strategy complying with the UNFCCC decisions. It is being updated in line with the National Action Plan on Climate Change, Nationally Determined Contributions and Green India Mission. The strategy was prepared by the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education, Dehradun.
REDD++ Himalayan Program
REDD++ Himalayan Program was launched in 2016 to address deforestation and forest degradation in the Himalayan states of India. It ends in July 2020. The project was implemented in four countries namely Bhutan, Nepal, Myanmar and India.
Forest carbon partnership facility (FCPF)
- The Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF) is a global partnership of governments, businesses, civil society, and indigenous people’s organizations focused on reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation, forest carbon stock conservation, the sustainable management of forests, and the enhancement of forest carbon stocks in developing countries, activities commonly referred to as REDD+.
- Launched in 2008, the FCPF now works with 47 developing countries across Africa, Asia, and Latin America and the Caribbean, along with 17 donors that have made contributions and commitments totaling $1.3 billion.
The FCPF supports REDD+ efforts through two separate but complementary funds.
- The FCPF Readiness Fund helps countries set up the building blocks to implement REDD+. This includes designing national REDD+ strategies, developing reference emission levels, designing measurement, reporting, and verification systems and setting up national REDD+ management arrangements, including proper environmental and social safeguards. Current funding: $400 million
- The FCPF Carbon Fund pilots results-based payments to countries that have advanced through REDD+ readiness and implementation and have achieved verifiable emission reductions in their forest and broader land-use sectors. Current funding: $900 million
