STATE OF THE RAINFOREST 2014
36
The idea of paying rainforest countries to reduce deforestation has
gained a prominent role in international efforts to address climate
change. Under the label of REDD+, billions of dollars are being
channelled towards the protection of tropical forests. But – is this
making a difference?
Half of all the carbon stored in the world’s forests is found in
tropical areas. Deforestation and degradation of these tropical
forests is the main reason why forestry and land use account for
10–15% of the world’s total human-induced CO
2
emissions.
48
To
achieve the deep reductions in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions
necessary to avoid dangerous climate change, protecting tropical
rainforests is imperative.
This was the starting point for an idea launched by the forest-rich
countries of Papua New Guinea and Costa Rica in 2005, later known
as ‘Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation
in Developing Countries’ (REDD+). Through REDD+, developing
countries are to be provided with financial incentives for protecting
their forests. It was argued that this could provide a relatively quick
and inexpensive way of achieving sizable cuts in greenhouse gas
emissions.
49
Economic analyses indicated that action to reduce
emissions from deforestation could be substantially cheaper than
many other measures for reducing greenhouse gas emissions – some
estimates put the cost at no more than 1 to 2 USD per tonne of CO
2
.
50
REDD+ became an important part of the UN-led negotiations on
a new international climate change treaty. However, a range of
difficult questions had to be negotiated: How should emissions
from deforestation be measured to qualify for payments? How to
calculate ‘avoided emissions’? How could social and environmental
concerns, such as biodiversity or the rights of forest dependent
peoples, be safeguarded? And, not least, where should the
money come from carbon markets that would allow rich countries
Is REDD+ saving the world’s rainforests?
How, and how much, tropical forests absorb and store carbon
24.5
30.4
180
64
226
C stored in
below-ground biomass
C stored in
above-ground
biomass
Total C absorption
(by photosynthesis)
Total C emission
(by respiration)
C stored
below-ground
(soil and biomass)
Source: Yadvinder Malhi
and John Grace, 2000.
Carbon fluxes and stocks
(Tonnes of C per ha per year
for fluxes, tonnes of C per
ha for stocks)
Undisturbed tropical forest
Total C absorption
(by photosynthesis)
18.3
6.8
25.1
12.3
43
12
150
C stored in
below-ground biomass
C stored in
above-ground
biomass
Total C emission
Burning, decay of
slash and soil erosion
Respiration
C stored
below-ground
(soil and biomass)
Source: Values based on
Frédéric Archard et al., 2004.
Note: flux values are
reported as a 10 year
average.
10 years after deforestation
