Impacts of Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation and Enhancing Carbon Stocks (I-REDD+)

Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation (REDD+) projects are one of the main mechanisms available to policymakers to curb greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from deforestation and land-use change. Current estimates suggest that deforestation and forest degradation accounts for about 15% of anthropogenic GHG emissions. Under REDD+, developing nations are paid to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation and enhancing carbon stocks in forests. The I-REDD+ project addresses a number of concerns that need to be resolved to increase positive impacts and mitigate potentially negative impacts of REDD+:

• Can local forest users monitor carbon stocks with the accuracy required for national reporting? 
• Develop methods to quantify carbon dynamics in different landscape types
• Will REDD+ be competitive with other land uses and will forest users benefit?
• Will REDD+ conserve habitats for important biodiversity and thus realize one of the expected ‘co-benefits’ of REDD+?
• Can local and national institutions govern REDD+ payments?

The I-REDD+ project work at national to local level in four countries: Laos, Vietnam, China (Yunnan) and Indonesia. We work in interdisciplinary teams with researchers and professionals from 9 countries.