The REDD Agreement

The Cancun Agreements contain no binding commitments to curb deforestation or any other similar actions.

They did however agree on some issues related to the REDD program.

Most notably, a REDD concept was agreed upon – one that included Sustainable Forest Management as an equal form of mitigation alongside avoided deforestation, afforestation and reforestation.

Any mention of the use of carbon markets in the program was removed from the text, while mild safeguards were proposed for Indigenous communities and biodiversity.

The agreements requested that developing countries, supported by donor funds and technology, begin building:

-          A national strategy or action plan

-          A national forest reference emission level and/or forest reference level

-          A robust and transparent national forest monitoring system

-          A system for providing information on how important safeguards for local communities and stakeholders are being addressed.

This despite the lack of agreement on a start date for the new forestry protection measures or any firm commitment on financing options for REDD actions (decisions on this have been deferred to COP 17).

On a scientific front, the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA) was asked to recommend key methodologies for the measurement of emissions from forest conversion and to develop the necessary systems for measuring, reporting and verifying forest-related emissions.

The REDD agreement adds very little to the text from Copenhagen. In fact, in some cases language has been softened and detail removed in what was undoubtedly a desperate attempt to get an agreement over the line.