As the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) negotiations in Tianjin and Cancun draw closer, progress on REDD+ will attract tremendous interest from a range of climate change stakeholders, especially those interested in seeing a REDD+ agreement. At the UNFCCC’s meetings in Bonn in August, new disagreements emerged over aspects of the REDD+ text, creating new challenges for negotiators to make progress and forge renewed agreement on these issues.
In order to overcome these challenges, it is clear that negotiators will need to keep their eye on the big picture-- that REDD+ remains one of the most effective means of mitigating climate change. REDD+ is a mechanism that will create incentives for developing forested countries to protect, and better manage their forest resources, thus contributing to the global fight against climate change. When fully operational, payments for verified emission reductions and removals provide an incentive for REDD+ countries to pursue low carbon development. In this way, REDD+ can help limit global temperature rise while contributing to poverty alleviation and biodiversity conservation.
In short, REDD+ is a potentially powerful policy tool to improve how forests are managed, and provides an innovative way of bridging the gap between developed and developing countries on issues of climate change mitigation. The REDD+ community is hopeful for positive progress on REDD+ at the Tianjin negotiations, and ultimately for a COP decision on REDD+ in December. Political will to agree on the overarching issues will be key to achieving this goal.
Yemi Katerere
Head of the UN-REDD Programme Secretariat
