A framework for integrating biodiversity concerns into national REDD+ programmes

How may REDD+ affect the practical, legal and institutional framework for ‘Payment for ecosystem services’ in Costa Rica?

“…In that sense, conserving biodiversity and securing local livelihoods could be an indirect result of REDD+ investments, although the focus on carbon capture still seems to predominate. There is widespread concern that biodiversity has not been given adequate consideration in the REDD+ process, increasing the possibility of negative environmental impacts (Gardner et al, 2012;McDermott et al, 2012;O'Connor, 2008). At the international level, project monitoring and evaluation are currently geared to carbon levels and, it is argued, it will be difficult to achieve REDD+ without developing criteria and principles to evaluate the conservation and sustainabilitypromoting features of the projects (Rosendal and Andresen, 2011).…”

Safeguarding biodiversity in REDD+: Necessary but not sufficient to help slow global biodiversity loss

“…The Cancun Agreement provided guidance for safeguarding biodiversity by requiring that REDD+ actions do not result in the conversion of natural forests to plantations, but instead be used to incentivize the conservation of natural forests and their ecosystem services, and enhance environmental benefits (UNFCCC 2011). Although a step in the right direction, the wording was considered too general and not operational (Gardner et al 2012;Grussu et al 2014). Despite the evolution of international safeguard discussions since Cancun, safeguards for biodiversity and other non-carbon benefits remain vague (Pistorius and Reinecke 2013).…”

Salvaguardar la biodiversidad en REDD+: Necesario pero no suficiente si este mecanismo busca desacelerar la pérdida de la biodiversidad global

“…REDD+ has the potential to tackle these two major challenges simultaneously. As deforestation and forest degradation directly affect natural habitats (Sangermano et al 2012), then if REDD+ can slow deforestation and forest degradation, it should, in theory, benefit biodiversity conservation in tropical forests (Gardner et al 2012). Future REDD+ financing could offer an opportunity to supplement the current shortfall in conservation funding (Waldron et al 2013) or fund forest conservation at a scale that…”