Traps and Dangers of REDD and other Forest Conservation Projects

The guide warns forest communities against signing REDD and forest conservation contracts, which it argues are often designed to strip local people of their land rights and sovereignty. It highlights how these contracts, often written in technical jargon and spanning 30 to 80 years, impose strict prohibitions on farming and timber use, potentially forcing communities to abandon their territories. The document advocates for community-based forest management and the recognition of traditional land rights as more effective and just alternatives to market-based carbon schemes.

• REDD and forest conservation projects often use technical jargon and misleading proposals to hide the true conditions of contracts from local communities, which the document describes as a form of disrespect.
• Contracts for REDD projects are typically long-term, ranging from 30 to 80 years, and often include options for extension, which can bind communities for generations.
• These contracts frequently impose severe restrictions on traditional livelihoods, prohibiting activities such as farming, timber extraction, and the construction of indigenous dams, which threatens food sovereignty and cultural identity.
• The agreements often grant companies unrestricted access to territories and the rights to all biodiversity and carbon credits, while the communities are required to provide security and cover various costs and taxes.
• The document argues that community-based conservation and the recognition of traditional land rights are more effective at reducing deforestation than market-based payment schemes.
• The guide recommends that governments provide public funding for community forest management and implement emission-reduction targets within industrialised nations rather than relying on carbon offsets and compensations.

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} }