Friends of the Earth International Position on REDD (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation)

Friends of the Earth International (FoEI) declares a 'NO REDD' position, opposing all forms of Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation (REDD) schemes, whether market-based or publicly funded. The organization argues that REDD commodifies forests, undermines the rights of Indigenous Peoples and local communities, and fails to address the structural causes of climate change by allowing industrialized nations to avoid direct emissions reductions through the use of carbon offsets.

• FoEI rejects the use of REDD credits as carbon offsets, arguing that they do not deliver permanent emissions reductions and allow polluting nations to continue burning fossil fuels. The document asserts that carbon stored in forests is dynamic and in flux, unlike fossil fuels which are locked underground for millennia.
• The organization argues that REDD leads to the commodification of forests, reducing complex ecosystems and social structures to a single price based on carbon stocks. This process excludes impoverished communities and prioritizes financial elites and wealthy buyers over the people who rely on the forests.
• REDD implementation is criticized for violating the rights of Indigenous Peoples and local communities, including a failure to adhere to the principles of free prior and informed consent (FPIC). FoEI reports that REDD has driven policies of displacement and criminalized traditional forest management practices.
• FoEI contends that REDD creates perverse incentives that may actually increase deforestation. Because credits are generated by avoiding planned deforestation, there is an incentive for governments and corporations to maintain high levels of planned clearing to demonstrate 'avoidance'.
• The document argues that REDD is ethically flawed because it replaces a 'value of care'—rooted in spiritual and cultural connections—with monetary payment. This 'assistancialism' may lead future generations to view forests only as a source of money, potentially increasing deforestation once payments cease.
• FoEI opposes the UNFCCC's lack of distinction between biodiverse forests and industrial plantations, noting that in Indonesia, this has allowed REDD to facilitate the conversion of degraded forests into palm oil and timber plantations.
• As an alternative to REDD, FoEI proposes strengthening the land rights of Indigenous Peoples and local communities, supporting collective forest management, and requiring industrialized Northern countries to reduce emissions within their own borders without using offsets.

APA

Friends of the Earth International (2014). Friends of the Earth International Position on REDD (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation). https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/REDD-FoEI-position-paper.pdf

Chicago

Friends of the Earth International. Friends of the Earth International Position on REDD (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation). 2014. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/REDD-FoEI-position-paper.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Friends of the Earth International |title=Friends of the Earth International Position on REDD (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation) |date=2014 |url=https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/REDD-FoEI-position-paper.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{friendsoftheearthinternational2014friends, author = {{Friends of the Earth International}}, title = {{Friends of the Earth International Position on REDD (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation)}}, publisher = {Friends of the Earth International}, year = {2014}, url = {https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/REDD-FoEI-position-paper.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }