Greening the blue Pacific: Lessons on reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+)

Shipra Shah; Digby Race

doi:10.1016/j.forpol.2024.103263

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Greening the blue Pacific: Lessons on reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+)

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Greening the blue Pacific: Lessons on reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+)

Shipra Shah and Digby Race

Forest Policy and Economics, Vol.166, pp.1-14

2024

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forpol.2024.103263

Abstract

Ecosystem services

Forest conservation

Pacific Islands

Reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation

Across the Pacific, deforestation and forest degradation are driving the loss of ecosystem services. Increasing recognition of the need for mechanisms that can bridge economic development and environmental sustainability has led to the emergence of the broad concept of Nature-based Solutions (NbS), including Payments for Environmental Services (PES) such as ‘reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation’ (REDD+) of forested areas. REDD+ projects are being piloted in the region, but the scale of adoption remains limited raising doubts about whether the concept has much appeal beyond small-scale government-supported initiatives. Although a relatively simple concept, it is proving difficult to translate into an appealing practice that is widely understood and adopted by rural land managers. We conducted a review of the achievements and challenges of REDD+ projects in Melanesia while drawing on global and regional lessons. Most projects are reaping the benefits of enhanced community development, employment, capacity building, and stronger governance. Perverse incentives, lack of systematic assessments of carbon offsets, poor stakeholder engagement, insufficient feedback mechanisms, marginalisation of women, and the lack of prosperous and sustainable alternative livelihoods remain key challenges. This suggests the need for developing policy mixes, understanding the drivers of deforestation and forest degradation, addressing equity concerns, strengthening tenure security, removing perverse incentives, and ensuring financially competitive conservation incentives for enhancing the appeal of REDD+ to rural communities, policymakers, and the private sector, so its reach across the Pacific can be extended.

Details

Title: Greening the blue Pacific: Lessons on reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+)
Authors: Shipra Shah - Fiji National University
Digby Race - University of the South Pacific
Publication details: Forest Policy and Economics, Vol.166, pp.1-14
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date published: 2024
DOI: 10.1016/j.forpol.2024.103263
ISSN: 1872-7050
Data Availability: No data was used for the research described in the article.
Grant note: This work was supported by the Pacific Action for Climate Transitions (PACT).
Organisation Unit: Forest Research Institute; Tropical Forests & People Research Centre
Language: English
Record Identifier: 991066896002621
Output Type: Journal article