Rewards for Results? Climate Change, Deforestation and Land Use

Tropical rainforests and global warming. Progress towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation shows that the rule of law is vital to protect indigenous people and local communities. Disappearing tropical forests are high on the global climate change and biodiversity agendas. A survey of progress towards setting up a ‘results-based payments’ (rewards) scheme known as REDD+ explores international funding for forests, with evidence from Bolivia, Ghana and Indonesia. The need to tackle the drivers of deforestation is emphasised, including land use changes for crop cultivation and livestock. The roles of indigenous people and local communities in ensuring equitable and effective natural resource management and forest conservation are underlined in the survey.