REDD Development Dividend Task Force Meeting Report

The report details a task force meeting in Manila, Philippines, focused on the 'Development Dividend' in REDD—the balance between greenhouse gas reductions (quantity) and sustainable development benefits (quality), such as poverty alleviation and indigenous rights (equity). Key discussions centered on the technical and political challenges of Measurement, Reporting and Verification (MRV), the implementation of socio-environmental safeguards, and the role of market versus non-market financing. The document also provides updates on national REDD strategies from various countries, including Brazil, Indonesia, and the Philippines, and proposes a research agenda to clarify forest definitions and governance structures for benefit sharing.

• The 'Development Dividend' concept for REDD is defined by three pillars: Quality (sustainable development benefits like poverty alleviation and biodiversity conservation), Quantity (robust greenhouse gas reductions), and Equity (ensuring all countries, including small and vulnerable ones, benefit).
• REDD is not viewed as a standalone solution but must be integrated into broader national sustainable development strategies to be effective.
• There is a consensus among participants that a 'mixed approach' to financing, combining both market and non-market mechanisms, is the optimal way to manage and distribute REDD benefits.
• The development of Measurement, Reporting and Verification (MRV) frameworks faces significant technical hurdles, including the lack of a universally agreed-upon definition of a 'forest' and disparities in available historical data for establishing baselines.
• Participants argued that while international guidance is useful, the primary 'pressure point' for implementing co-benefits and safeguards should remain at the national level to reflect specific country priorities.
• Carbon leakage—where avoided deforestation in one region leads to deforestation elsewhere—is identified as a critical trade concern that is difficult to address because not all involved countries are part of the REDD regime.
• Brazil is highlighted as a successful example of a 'results based' model, utilizing a transparent monitoring system and the Amazon Fund to tackle illegal deforestation while increasing GDP.
• The task force identified a need for a 'do no harm' minimum standard for safeguards at the international level, which would act as a backstop without preventing countries from implementing higher national standards.
• Future research priorities for the project include clarifying the definition of forests, evaluating the trade-offs between national forest reference emission levels (RELs) and forest reference levels (RLs), and exploring mechanisms for equitable benefit sharing.

APA

Boyle, J., Bernard, F., & Murphy, D. (2011). REDD Development Dividend Task Force Meeting Report. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/redd_dev_dividend.pdf

Chicago

Boyle, Jessica, Florence Bernard, and Deborah Murphy. REDD Development Dividend Task Force Meeting Report. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2011. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/redd_dev_dividend.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Boyle |first1=Jessica |last2=Bernard |first2=Florence |last3=Murphy |first3=Deborah |title=REDD Development Dividend Task Force Meeting Report |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=2011 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/redd_dev_dividend.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{boyle2011redd, author = {Boyle, Jessica and Bernard, Florence and Murphy, Deborah}, title = {{REDD Development Dividend Task Force Meeting Report}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2011}, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/redd_dev_dividend.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }