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  Achieving Multiple Benefits through a UNFCCC Mechanism on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation »

  The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is currently discussing the development of a mechanism for reducing emissions from deforestation in developing countries (RED). An effective RED mechanism could provide an unprecedented opportunity to contribute towards the goals of a range of multilateral environmental agreements and mechanisms, including the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), by helping to ensure that forests continue to provide vital ecosystem services, conserve biodiversity, and enhance livelihoods. The design and implementation of the mechanism will affect the degree to which these other benefits are obtained.

  Resource Type: Journal Papers
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  UN-REDD in Tanzania. Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Developing Countries (MSc Project) »

  The conservation of world forests is an important measure in order to address the ever-worsening consequences of climate change. Tanzania has over 34 million hectares of forests and woodland habitats (more than 30% of the whole country). This report concludes that REDD strategies in Tanzania should be integrated with, and improve upon, current conservation strategies.

  Resource Type: Reports
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  Opportunities for achieving biodiversity conservation through REDD »

  We explore the implications of REDD design and implementation options on biodiversity conservation and ways to link REDD with biodiversity conservation. From both a mitigation and biodiversity perspective, the most important immediate steps are to ensure that REDD is included in the new global climate agreement and maximizes the area of tropical forest conserved. It may also be possible to include guidelines or incentives within a REDD framework or in national implementation to channel funding to areas of high biodiversity. However, if the immediate steps above are not taken first, REDD will reach neither its mitigation nor its biodiversity conservation potential.

  Resource Type: Journal Papers
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  Andhra Pradesh Forestry Project: Forest Restoration and Joint Forest Management in India »

  In Andhra Pradesh, local people living near forests are forming Vana Samrakshna Samithi (VSS), village organisations dedicated to forest restoration. In partnership with the state forestry department more than 5,000 VSS are working to restore more than 1.2 million hectares of degraded forests.

  VSS share all of the non-timber forest products (grasses, fuel-wood, fruit, and medicines) amongst themselves, and receive all of the income from the harvest of timber and bamboo.

  Half of this income is set aside for the future development and maintenance of the forest. In this way the long-term sustainability of the project is protected and government support is only required while the forest returns to a productive state.
   

  Resource Type: Reports
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  Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation: Global Land-Use Implications »

  Recent climate talks in Bali have made progress toward action on deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries, within the anticipated post-Kyoto emissions reduction agreements. As a result of such action, many forests will be better protected, but some land-use change will be displaced to other locations. The demonstration phase launched at Bali offers an opportunity to examine potential outcomes for biodiversity and ecosystem services. Research will be needed into selection of priority areas for reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation to deliver multiple benefits, on-the-ground methods to best ensure these benefits, and minimization of displaced land-use change into nontarget countries and ecosystems, including through revised conservation investments.

  Resource Type: Journal Papers
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  Making Biodiversity Safeguards for REDD+ Work in Practice »

   UNEP-WCMC has developed operational guidelines to assist countries to implement biodiversity safeguards for REDD+. The summary report, containing the operational guidelines, can be found here.

  Resource Type: Reports
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  Securing tropical forest carbon: the contribution of protected areas to REDD »

  Between 2000 and 2005, we estimate that 1.75 million ha of forest were lost from protected areas in humid tropical forests, causing the emission of 0.25–0.33 Pg C. Protected areas lost about half as much carbon as the same area of unprotected forest. We estimate that the reduction of these carbon emissions from ongoing deforestation in protected sites in humid tropical forests could be valued at USD 6,200–7,400 million depending on the land use after clearance. This is > 1.5 times the estimated spending on protected area management in these regions. Improving management of protected areas to retain forest cover better may be an important, although certainly not sufficient, component of an overall strategy for reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD).

  Resource Type: Journal Papers
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  Everything is connected: climate and biodiversity in a fragile world »

  This publication brings together eight original articles by experts to tackle head on some of the most difficult questions facing us all:

  * How a stable climate and a productive biosphere can be secured together.
  * Why this is an opportunity for green growth.
  * How a closer partnership between the multilateral environmental agreements, in particular the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Framework Convention on Climate Change, can help.

  Resource Type: Reports
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  Reducing Emissions from Deforestation: A Key Opportunity for Attaining Multiple Benefits »

  This paper reviews the potential for multiple benefits that might be attained by reducing emissions from deforestation (RED) through a mechanism developed under the UNFCCC. These benefits are relevant to national commitments under several environmental and sustainable development conventions and instruments, and may not be directly correlated with reduced carbon emissions. The design of the mechanism and its implementation will affect the degree to which these other benefits, such as biodiversity conservation, livelihoods, watershed protection and other ecosystem goods and services, are obtained.

  Resource Type: Reports
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  Reducing Emissions from Deforestation: global mechanisms, conservation and livelihoods »

  This briefing considers the implications for biodiversity conservation and local people’s livelihoods of the current discussion on reducing emissions from deforestation in developing countries (RED-DC, henceforth RED) under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The potential for RED to deliver multiple benefits for biodiversity conservation, livelihoods and other ecosystem services is well documented (UNEP-WCMC 2007). But it is important to note that RED could also have negative impacts on biodiversity and local livelihoods, for example as a result of the displacement of deforestation.

  Resource Type: Reports