STATE OF THE RAINFOREST 2014
37
or companies to pay for forest conservation to offset their own
emissions, or through other mechanisms like international funds or
development aid?
Varieties of REDD
While UN negotiators have been struggling with these questions,
various initiatives have already emerged under the banner of REDD+.
The World Bank has established two funds to support developing
countries, through which 45 countries are currently receiving
funding to prepare plans and programmes for REDD+ participation.
51
Among them are important rainforest nations such as Peru, DR
Congo, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. The UN-REDD programme
(UNEP, UNDP and FAO) is supporting national REDD+ strategies in
18 countries. Additionally, some countries have entered into
bilateral REDD agreements, such as the agreements between the
government of Norway and the governments of Brazil, Indonesia
and Guyana (see box on Norway’s International Climate and Forest
Initiative). Finally, several private companies and large NGOs are
developing ‘REDD+ projects’ on a local or regional scale, including
traditional conservation projects as well as projects aimed at selling
carbon credits from avoided greenhouse gas emissions.
In 2007, Rainforest Foundation Norway and Friends of the
Earth Norway proposed that the Norwegian government
should commit to contributing substantial finance to reduce
deforestation in developing countries. At the 2007 UN climate
conference in Bali, then Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg
announced that Norway would commit up to around USD
500 million annually to such efforts, through the ‘Norwegian
International Climate and Forest Initiative’ (NICFI).
Through NICFI, the government of Norway has signed several
bilateral agreements promising financial contributions to
developing-country efforts to reduce deforestation. The
most notable agreements have been with Brazil, Indonesia
and Guyana, but funding is also being provided for countries
such as Ethiopia, Vietnam and Mexico.
52
In addition, Norway
is among the main contributors to World Bank and UNEP/
UNDP/FAO initiatives on REDD+, and has contributed
substantial funding tovariousNGOsand research institutions
for their work on REDD+ and deforestation issues.
In some countries, for example in Indonesia
59
important
results have been achieved through Norway’s funding,
and in other countries the results so far have been more
questionable.
60
The NICFI initiative has made Norway the
largest contributor to REDD+ efforts internationally.
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The Norwegian International Climate and
Forest Initiative
Million tonnes of CO
2
equivalent per year
Selected anthropogenic carbon emissions in
Brazil and Indonesia
Indonesia
Brazil
0
500
1 000
1 500
2 000
2 500
Land use change and forestry
Total
2000 2011
Source: World Resources Institute, CAIT
Million tonnes of CO
2
equivalent per year
Selected anthropogenic carbon emissions in
Brazil and Indonesia
Indonesia
Brazil
0
500
1 000
1 500
2 000
2 500
Land use change and forestry
Total
2000 2011
Source: World Resources Institute, CAIT
