Forests and climate

Forests and climate: Briefing note

The Story of REDD: a real solution to deforestation?

April 30, 2012

REDD, or reduced emissions from deforestation and forest degradation, is one of the most controversial issues in the climate change debate. The basic concept is simple: governments, companies or forest owners in the South should be rewarded for keeping their forests instead of cutting them down. The devil, as always, is in the details.

‘The story of REDD: A real solution to deforestation?’ considers the more complex issues that must be considered by any initiative to reduce deforestation. The attached script includes links to reports, websites and briefings that explain the issues in more detail or outline where facts and figures come from. It is intended not to be comprehensive, but to give a flavour of the research and a starting point for finding out more information about these issues.

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fern_script_internet[1].pdf	738.93 KB

Why carbon markets will not deliver for Southern governments, forests and people

November 29, 2011

Many governments believe that carbon trading will provide substantial funding to protect or sustainably manage forests in their countries via proposed schemes to Reduce Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD). This briefing, signed on to by 28 organisations explains why carbon markets will not deliver for Southern governments, forests and peoples.

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carbonleaflet_25nov.pdf	326.76 KB

REDD+ and carbon markets:Ten Myths Exploded

June 7, 2011

Over the last four years, the United Nations’ negotiations on Reducing Emissions from deforestation and Forest Degradation – REDD+ – has become increasingly central in global discussions on climate change. Unfortunately there are still a number of serious misconceptions about the suitability of carbon markets to finance forest protection. The aim of this paper is to demonstrate why these assumptions are false or misleading.

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10 myths exploded_new.pdf	1.08 MB

Why Congo Basin countries stand to lose out from a market based REDD

December 7, 2009

This briefing paper unravels the implications of setting a historical baseline with a correction factor for low deforestation countries. It also explains why carbon markets are unlikely to raise the anticipated funds for forest protection, due to the unsuitability of applying these policy mechanisms to forests, and why any funds raised are unlikely to reach Central Africa or other regions with low deforestation rates and weak governance. Wider institutional and policy reforms, which are crucial to tackling deforestation effectively, would be better addressed by a funding mechanism which does not involve the trading of carbon.

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congo basin countries lose out.pdf	266.55 KB

Français

Is REDD undermining FLEGT

October 4, 2009

With proper safeguards, FLEGT has the capacity to bring about real improvements in forest governance – but concerns have been raised that this could all be undermined by the Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) schemes currently being developed by the UN and the World Bank’s Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF). This briefing looks at the case of Ghana and concludes that the Ghana experience should alert us to the dangers of rushing REDD processes.

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FLEGT and REDD.pdf	979.97 KB

Counting the cost: forest credits and their effect on carbon markets

October 2, 2009

A short briefing note looking at research into the impact of trading forest carbon credits on carbon markets, and the subsequent effect on forests and the climate.

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counting the cost.pdf	1.77 MB

Français

From green ideals to REDD money

November 26, 2008

FERN briefing note detailing the history of Avoided Deforestation and Degradation and explaining the basic differences between the different country proposals on the table for Reduced Emissions of Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD).

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From green ideals to REDD money	818.44 KB
Des idéaux verts aux fonds REDD	860.63 KB

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