Policy Brief: A REDD-plus Friendly Climate Agreement

Considering their high mitigation potential in many countries, it is expected that forests will continue to play a role in global climate action. Many countries view reducing forest-related emissions as a valuable mitigation strategy as forest protection is consistent with sustainable development goals. Donor governments also take an interest in global forest protection, providing finance for tropical forests through their development assistance budgets.

In Paris later this year, countries are expected to adopt “a protocol, another legal instrument or an agreed outcome with legal force under the Convention applicable to all parties” to be implemented from 2020 onwards. This paper has been published in the light of the upcoming Paris climate conference with the objective of considering the role of REDD+ in a new climate agreement and making recommendations on elements needed in the text to enable the implementation of REDD+ mitigation actions and to ensure resources are available for countries seeking to take REDD+ actions. It also discusses REDD+ concepts in the broader context of land use and other issues.