Getting ready for REDD+: Recognition and Donor-country Project Development Dynamics in Central Africa

Abstract

forest cover in developing countries by offering results-based payments. The international framework and agreements to allow the functioning of this mechanism are being negotiated under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The REDD+ framework adopted by the UNFCCC requires each country to fulfil specific steps to be eligible for "result-based" funds/payments, and has a phased approach: readiness (including capacity building and stakeholder consultation), implementation of demonstration projects, and results-based payments. This process, which takes place at the national scale, is funded and supported by different organizations, the most important of which are the UN-REDD Programme and the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF) hosted by the World Bank (WB) and steered by an independent Committee of Participants (that share responsibility between donors and beneficiary countries).Following the completion of the REDD+ readiness process, the UN-REDD and FCPF can disburse funds to participating

Navigating power in conservation

“…Conservation project development can be dominated by the rules and values of international actors, as was the case of a World Bank funded REDD+ project in Central Africa (Walters & Ece, 2017).…”

“…Actor-centered power Conservation project development can be dominated by the rules and values of international actors, as was the case of a World Bank funded REDD+ project in Central Africa (Walters & Ece, 2017). Rietig (2016) shows how some NGOs have strong lobbying power and set agendas for international climate change decisions and policies.…”

Routledge Handbook of Community Forestry

“…The key findings of the case studies, described here, ranged from higher-scale to more-local interventions. Walters and Ece (2017) examined the dynamics of decision-making and representation in carbon forestry at international and sub-regional scales, by focusing on REDD+ project negotiations in the Congo Basin region; Mbeche (2017) and Nuesiri (2017) explored national REDD+ Preparedness Programs in Uganda and Nigeria. Ece ( 2017) examined midlevel elected sub-national government's role in in community forestry projects in Senegal.…”

“…In the RFGI studies described here, however, we found that while these ministries represent 'nations' in the international arena, their domestic practices (in REDD+ and in community forestry) fall grossly short of even supporting democratic principles in local decision making. While Walters and Ece (2017) do not directly address choice and recognition of local institutions, their study provides background on the international context in which multi-lateral forestry programs and their national components unfold. Mbeche (2017) and Nuesiri (2017) researched representation in REDD+ Preparedness Programs (R-PP) that support REDD+ policy design in Uganda and Nigeria (also see Marfo 2015).…”