Policy Needs for Implementation of REDD+ in India

Abstract

Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation-plus (REDD+) is a climate change mitigation tool recognized and adopted under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Implementation of REDD+ program is challenging, as it involves concurrent addressing of the objectives of forest biodiversity conservation, carbon stocks conservation and enhancement, respecting community rights, meeting aspirations for economic development, and avoiding displacement of emissions. The present study avails of the REDD+ Safeguard Information System (SIS) framework to deal with the challenge by considering the risks that arise for other objectives while meeting one, and thereby identifies five policy measures that help in meeting the said objectives and minimizing the risks. Such measures are: avoiding diversion of forestlands in biodiversity-rich areas; subjecting forestland encroachments to the jurisdiction of special courts; promoting native floral species; respecting forest use by communities & providing for them through Village Forest Committee micro-plans; and, strengthening the funding of micro-plans. These measures though are part of conservation discourse for a long but lack a well-formalized structure. They have been evaluated on identified criteria for their effectiveness and associated risks.