Sustainability & Environmental Governance
What Is REDD+?
How the international REDD+ framework rewards developing countries for keeping forests standing, what its five activities and safeguards are, and why it matters for Brazil.
REDD+ stands for Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation in developing countries, with the ”+” covering conservation, sustainable forest management and the enhancement of forest carbon stocks. It is a framework agreed under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to reward countries for keeping their forests standing.
Why forests are central to climate policy
Forests absorb carbon dioxide and store large amounts of carbon in trees and soils. When they are cleared or degraded, much of that carbon is released. Deforestation and other land-use change are therefore a significant source of global emissions, and in countries with large tropical forests, such as Brazil, they have historically been among the largest sources.
The five REDD+ activities
The UNFCCC framework recognizes five activities:
- Reducing emissions from deforestation.
- Reducing emissions from forest degradation, for example from unsustainable logging or fire.
- Conservation of forest carbon stocks.
- Sustainable management of forests.
- Enhancement of forest carbon stocks, for example through restoration.
How it works
REDD+ was designed in phases. Countries first prepare national strategies, then implement policies and measures, and finally receive results-based payments once emission reductions have been measured, reported and verified against an agreed reference level. Measurement relies on satellite monitoring combined with field data.
The rules were consolidated in the Warsaw Framework for REDD+ (2013). Countries must also respect a set of safeguards agreed in Cancún in 2010, including respect for the rights and knowledge of Indigenous peoples and local communities, their full participation, and the protection of natural forests and biodiversity.
Support comes from several sources. The World Bank’s Forest Carbon Partnership Facility and the UN-REDD Programme help countries prepare and implement REDD+. Brazil’s Amazon Fund, created in 2008, receives donations, mainly from other governments, linked to reductions in Amazon deforestation and invests them in prevention, monitoring and sustainable use of the forest.
National and project-level REDD+
It is useful to distinguish jurisdictional REDD+, carried out by national or state governments under the UNFCCC framework, from project-level REDD+ carried out by private developers that sell credits on voluntary carbon markets. Project-level credits have faced scrutiny over inflated baselines and over whether local communities benefit, which has led to stricter methodologies and a growing preference for jurisdictional approaches.
Conclusion
REDD+ recognizes that keeping forests standing has value for the whole planet and that the countries and communities who protect them should be rewarded. Its success depends on accurate measurement, strong governance and the genuine participation of the people who live in and depend on forests.
This article is for general information and education. World Funding does not develop, issue or sell REDD+ credits.
Sources and further reading
This article is for general information and education. It is not legal, financial, investment or engineering advice.