Is REDD+ an opportunity to support climate compatible development in developing countries?

The document analyzes REDD+ as a tool for climate-compatible development in developing countries, highlighting its potential to reduce GHG emissions and enhance climate resilience. It notes that while international funding has reached $4.5 billion by 2012, significantly more is needed to meet global deforestation targets. The brief warns of risks to indigenous and forest-dependent communities and emphasizes that successful implementation requires long-term institutional building, clear legal frameworks for carbon rights, and integrated cross-sectoral planning.

• REDD+ is a mechanism negotiated through the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) designed to mitigate climate change by supporting policies in developing countries that reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation, while promoting forest enhancement and sustainable management.
• While REDD+ offers opportunities for climate-compatible development, it introduces risks such as increased vulnerability for forest-dependent communities. To be effective and equitable, policies must be designed to protect these groups and require significant institutional investment for monitoring emissions and managing financial flows.
• The financial scale of REDD+ is growing but remains below what is needed for significant global impact. International commitments reached approximately $4.5 billion by 2012, whereas estimates suggest that reducing global deforestation rates by 25% would cost between $22 billion and $36 billion between 2010 and 2015.
• REDD+ can support climate resilience and adaptation by preserving ecosystem services. For example, in Vietnam, protecting and planting nearly 12,000 hectares of mangroves cost just over $1 million but resulted in annual savings of over $7 million in dyke maintenance expenditures.
• Implementing national REDD+ systems is a long-term process that may take up to a decade in some countries. Key requirements include establishing reference levels to assess performance, creating legal frameworks for carbon credit rights, and ensuring cross-sectoral coordination to avoid negative impacts on forest governance.

APA

Peskett, L. (2010). Is REDD+ an opportunity to support climate compatible development in developing countries? Climate and Development Knowledge Network. https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/files/REDD_PolicyBrief.pdf

Chicago

Peskett, Leo. Is REDD+ an opportunity to support climate compatible development in developing countries? Climate and Development Knowledge Network, 2010. https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/files/REDD_PolicyBrief.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Peskett |first1=Leo |title=Is REDD+ an opportunity to support climate compatible development in developing countries? |publisher=Climate and Development Knowledge Network |date=November 2010 |url=https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/files/REDD_PolicyBrief.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{peskett2010redd, author = {Peskett, Leo}, title = {{Is REDD+ an opportunity to support climate compatible development in developing countries?}}, institution = {Climate and Development Knowledge Network}, year = {2010}, month = nov, url = {https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/files/REDD_PolicyBrief.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }