No Regrets: Maintaining Forests for Adaptation and Mitigation

This briefing by Frances Seymour argues that sustainable forest management provides a 'no regrets' synergy between immediate development needs and long-term climate adaptation and mitigation. While acknowledging potential trade-offs and governance challenges, the author advocates for ecosystem-based approaches and democratic processes to manage the transition.

• Sustainable forest management serves as a 'win-win' solution by providing immediate buffers against climate variability—such as protecting coastal areas from storms and regulating hydrological flows—while simultaneously aiding long-term climate adaptation.
• Ecosystem-based adaptation strategies, such as maintaining forest cover, can act as cost-effective substitutes or complements to 'bricks and mortar' infrastructure like dams and reservoirs. These approaches provide a 'double dividend' because forests also contribute to climate mitigation through carbon sequestration and storage, especially since deforestation and degradation account for up to one-fifth of global carbon emissions.
• The implementation of REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation) creates a potential trade-off between global long-term benefits and the short-term welfare of vulnerable local communities. Because REDD+ funds are likely to target high-carbon humid forests in Indonesia, the Congo Basin, and the Amazon Basin, separate funding is required for adaptation in low-carbon areas like the dry forests of sub-Saharan Africa.
• Realizing the benefits of forest management requires overcoming poor governance and weak institutions. The author asserts that investing in institutional infrastructure to facilitate inter-sectoral collaboration and democratic public participation is a 'no regrets' investment, as these capacities are necessary for both immediate development and long-term climate preparation.

APA

Seymour, F. (2010). No Regrets: Maintaining Forests for Adaptation and Mitigation. World Resources Institute. https://files.wri.org/d8/s3fs-public/2023-02/wrr-2010-11-question-7-response-2.pdf

Chicago

Seymour, Frances. No Regrets: Maintaining Forests for Adaptation and Mitigation. World Resources Institute, 2010. https://files.wri.org/d8/s3fs-public/2023-02/wrr-2010-11-question-7-response-2.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Seymour |first1=Frances |title=No Regrets: Maintaining Forests for Adaptation and Mitigation |publisher=World Resources Institute |date=2010 |url=https://files.wri.org/d8/s3fs-public/2023-02/wrr-2010-11-question-7-response-2.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{seymour2010regrets, author = {Seymour, Frances}, title = {{No Regrets: Maintaining Forests for Adaptation and Mitigation}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, year = {2010}, url = {https://files.wri.org/d8/s3fs-public/2023-02/wrr-2010-11-question-7-response-2.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }