Traps and Dangers of REDD and other Forest Conservation Projects

This precautionary guide by Friends of the Earth International warns forest communities against signing REDD (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) and other forest conservation contracts. It argues that these market-based schemes often lead to deterritorialization, loss of sovereignty, and the erosion of traditional cultures by imposing restrictive conditions on land use and granting disproportionate power to external companies.

• REDD and forest conservation contracts often use technical jargon and non-native languages to conceal the true conditions of projects and create misleading expectations for local communities.
• The duration of these contracts is typically very long, ranging from 30 to 80 years, often with options for extension, which can commit future generations to restrictive terms.
• Contracts frequently impose severe restrictions on traditional livelihoods, prohibiting activities such as farming, timber extraction, and the construction of indigenous dams, which threatens the food sovereignty and cultural identity of forest peoples.
• These agreements often grant companies extensive rights, including unrestricted access to territories and the appropriation of biodiversity benefits and carbon credits, while leaving the communities responsible for costs, taxes, and security.
• External actors may use unethical methods to persuade community leaders to sign contracts, such as providing trucks, outboard motors, or using alcohol to influence decision-making.
• Community-based forest management and the recognition of traditional land rights are presented as more effective and sustainable alternatives to market-based schemes, with evidence suggesting indigenous lands in the Brazilian Legal Amazon are in better environmental condition than state-owned regimes.
• The guide advocates for public policies that provide funding for community forest management and the elimination of fossil fuel use, rather than relying on carbon compensation or the commodification of forests.

APA

Friends of the Earth International (2014). Traps and Dangers of REDD and other Forest Conservation Projects. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Traps-and-Dangers-of-REDD-and-other-Forest-Conservation-Projects.pdf

Chicago

Friends of the Earth International. Traps and Dangers of REDD and other Forest Conservation Projects. 2014. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Traps-and-Dangers-of-REDD-and-other-Forest-Conservation-Projects.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Friends of the Earth International |title=Traps and Dangers of REDD and other Forest Conservation Projects |date=July 2014 |url=https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Traps-and-Dangers-of-REDD-and-other-Forest-Conservation-Projects.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{friendsoftheearthinternational2014traps, author = {{Friends of the Earth International}}, title = {{Traps and Dangers of REDD and other Forest Conservation Projects}}, institution = {Friends of the Earth International}, year = {2014}, month = jul, url = {https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Traps-and-Dangers-of-REDD-and-other-Forest-Conservation-Projects.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }