Side Event
International REDD Plus Architecture and its Relevance for Developing Countries
Organizer
The Energy and Resources Institute, New Delhi
Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India, New Delhi
Date and Time
11 October 2012 18:15 - 19:45
Meeting
Eleventh meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP 11)
Forests are a natural resource of global concern. They offer a range of ecosystem services including carbon sequestration having benefits that cross borders. Forests have been an issue of priority for international and national policy and a subject of much debate and discussion for the past 20 years. The 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) saw the adoption of the “Forest Principles” as well as Chapter 11 of Agenda 21: Combating Deforestation. Reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation, conservation of forest carbon stocks, sustainable management of forests, and enhancement of forest carbon stocks has been at the center of discussions under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Developing countries stand to gain significantly from the emerging architecture for REDD plus. Not only would this generate additional funding for forest conservation and management efforts but also contribute towards community development, biodiversity conservation and enhancing ecosystem services. South Asia is renowned for its spectacular natural beauty and biological wealth. The region's geographical expanse and topography include several diverse ecosystems that harbour a rich variety of faunal and floral species. It is now widely recognized that REDD-plus, if well designed and implemented, can provide considerable benefits for biodiversity. The side event would generate discussions drawing from different country experiences on implementing REDD-plus projects, national level debates and international discourse on REDD-plus. The primary objectives of the workshop are: 1. Exploring the structure of international architecture for REDD-plus and its relevance to developing countries 2. Comparative analysis of preparedness of REDD-plus in different developing country context and identifying opportunities for mainstreaming of REDD-Plus co-benefits into cross-sectoral policy and planning frameworks 3. Leveraging operating funds for Sustainable Management of Forests particularly for conservation of biodiversity and maximizing socio-economic co-benefits; exploring possible markets for additionality of carbon The side event would have participation from SAARC member countries, Norway, non-governmental organizations and donor agencies.