Nepal’s REDD+ Readiness Preparation and Multi-Stakeholder Consultation Challenges

Bastakoti, Rishi R.; Davidsen, Conny

doi:10.3126/jfl.v13i1.15364

Cited by 18 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…Storylines including "win-win", "cost-effective," "carbon commodification," and "techno-managerial" favor the ecological modernization meta-discourse in REDD+ policy that confirms the tendency of REDD+ policy actors to favor measurable market solutions without questioning the socioeconomic tradeoffs. However, the protection of local rights and the participation of local people in policy deliberation remains marginal in this meta-discourse, although they are considered to be key for success [20,22,66,67].…”

Section: Discussion: Connecting the Storylines To Broader Climate Chamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Supporters of this group of storylines consider that treating forests as global commons increases the pressure for de facto internationalization of tropical forests, given their role in the global carbon cycle and importance in climate protection efforts [72]. These storylines believe that simply paying for not cutting down trees is not sufficient, but that REDD+ should empower local stakeholders and offer livelihood activities in order to address the underlying causes of deforestation [3,20,55,[73][74][75]. Therefore, the idea of non-carbon benefits has recently been internationally introduced which has also been reflected in Nepal's policy debate.…”

Section: Discussion: Connecting the Storylines To Broader Climate Chamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Individual actors within these broad categories have stronger, weaker or different interest and powers in the REDD+ policy arena. For example, the MFSC is especially interested in the exercise of power and authority, retaining leadership and control over national REDD+ mechanisms [20]. Non-forestry ministries, on the other hand, have lower stakes and less influence in REDD+ activities.…”

Section: An Experienced Environmental Policy Expert From Civil Societymentioning

confidence: 99%

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Framing REDD+ at National Level: Actors and Discourse around Nepal’s Policy Debate

Bastakoti

Davidsen

2017

Forests

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Forests and carbon sequestration have become fundamental themes in climate change mitigation. The idea of Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation (REDD+) has generated significant interest in forest governance from United Nations (UN) climate strategies over the past decade. REDD+ was initially hailed as a smart and cost-effective way to mitigate climate change. As it is rolling out, ambiguities and controversies are increasingly surfacing to the stakeholders at different levels. Examining the forest governance of Nepal in detail, this research examines how relationships between national and local forest actors have changed, and how REDD+ discourses have evolved among them at the interface between global interests in carbon commodification on one hand, and local realities of community forestry on the other hand. To better understand these competing positions, the study uses a post-structural political ecology perspective with elements of discourse analysis. Using data from interviews with policy actors and members of three local community forest user groups, focus group discussions, policy event observations, and document reviews, this paper highlights how global forest carbon commodification has been affecting community forestry governance. It also illustrates different storylines that actors employ to influence policy discourse and REDD+ debates, indicating a considerable range of problem definitions and policy solutions of climate change among the actors. The analysis highlights the connection between power relationships and the evolution of discourses surrounding REDD+, and how an external discourse can reinforce or challenge local governance and the centralization of forest authority. As such, the research also offers a new application of discursive storylines to climate change discourse analysis across national and local scales. The findings emphasize the importance of a more open and transparent dialogue across Nepal's forest governance and management levels to ensure actual benefits for healthy forests, strong communities, and effective climate change mitigation. Nepal's findings also suggest highly relevant lessons to other developing countries with significant community forest governance, and a strong planned focus on REDD+.

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Section: Discussion: Connecting the Storylines To Broader Climate Chamentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussion: Connecting the Storylines To Broader Climate Chamentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: An Experienced Environmental Policy Expert From Civil Societymentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Framing REDD+ at National Level: Actors and Discourse around Nepal’s Policy Debate

Bastakoti

Davidsen

2017

Forests

Self Cite

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“…In the process, the interests and voices of marginalized groups such as indigenous peoples, forest dependent communities, women and Dalits are often largely excluded. It is highly top-down in nature as marginalized groups are generally considered as the recipients, rather than actively and effectively voicing their issues and concerns in the process (Bastakoti & Davidsen, 2015). The reality is that the level of knowledge and access to reliable information about REDD+ and the understanding of associated terminologies among many groups in Nepal is comparatively low, leading to misunderstandings and false expectations (Milledge, 2014).…”

Section: Lack Of Access To Reliable Information and Effective Particimentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It is mostly accomplished by outsourced experts as guided by funding agencies. The agencies are highly influenced in setting the agenda, networks, timeline and even in the consultation process (Bastakoti & Davidsen, 2015). It is highly technical to measure data on carbon sequestration and establish the mechanisms to receive and disburse international finances for forest conservation.…”

Section: Lack Of Human and Technical Capacitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Indigenous Peoples, Indigenous Knowledge and Their Issues on Climate Change, particularly on REDD+, in Developing Countries

Maharjan

2017

Int J Appl Sci Biotechnol

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The lands, territories and resources of indigenous peoples (IPs) have been of significant historical importance to their livelihoods, cultures and spiritual identities. Over 370 million indigenous peoples are currently living in 70 countries in the world, mostly in remote, ecologically fragile and marginalized areas that are rich in traditional skills, knowledge and practices. Climate change is a global issue, impacting all livelihood sectors at the national and local levels. The poor and marginalized people, especially indigenous peoples, Dalits and women are in the forefront of its vulnerability and impacts. These people and communities have made the lowest contributions to the greenhouse gases emissions, however, they are the most at risks to its impacts. Furthermore, the policies and programs often marginalize and sideline the voices and issues of these people. This paper attempts to gather, review and analyze the information on indigenous knowledge, issues of indigenous peoples on climate change particularly in REDD+ in developing countries. The paper aims to highlight the REDD+ process in Nepal, its obligations at the national and international level (with cases from Asia, Africa and Latin America) and the indigenous perspectives towards the issues, gaps and challenges within the national and international negotiations.

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International environmental policy processes that dispossessed developing societies of public land resources: A case study of Nepal

Dhakal,

Adhikari,

Chand

et al. 2023

GeoJournal

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Public lands including forests and community pastures are still crucial means of local livelihood, social security, and environmental conservation in many developing countries including Nepal. However, these resources are increasingly managed primarily to offset greenhouse gas emissions of developed countries. The new management has exacerbated many local problems: livelihood constriction, social crises, human casualties (deaths and serious injuries), biodiversity degradation, and water scarcity including cryosphere retreating. Drawing data from multiple sources, this study attempted to explain the international political objectives and processes that dispossessed developing societies of public land resources for the benefit of developed countries. It shows that representatives of the developed countries were proactively and strategically involved in agenda formation, solutions negotiations, and decision-making while developing international environmental policies, and succeeded to structure the policies for managing the resources of developing countries for the best benefit of their own countries. The developed countries provided funds and experts, as strategic tools, through international aid agencies to implement the policies of their interest in institutionally weak countries. In Nepal, the aid agencies influenced the thinking of the public and the decisions of the government and other stakeholders through a series of strategic measures. They propagandized false crises, worked with a coalition of powerful international agencies, offered free technical support, and changed national policies proactively to manage the land resources for achieving their missions. Active involvement in policy implementation also helped the agencies to monitor implementation hurdles and apply other tactics to resolve them. Lucrative flash incentives were provided to motivate and get the support of communities, powerful stakeholders, and politicians to implement the policies. Psychosocial pressures were also applied to persuade local communities and their leaders for getting local cooperation in making and practicing new legal institutions (government authority rules or orders, user group rules, and forest management plans) that bind and control local communities for forest protection. The institutions obliged local communities to contribute free labor or cash for developing, modifying, and protecting the forests. These two levels of interventions led to the further development of reinforcing institutions, resource conditions, and social-ecological systems that secured benefits for developed countries and deprived local communities of power to control, produce and access the public land resources in their own backyard for years. This study also showed that international environmental policies and aid agencies have respectively served as institutional weapons and vehicles for materially and institutionally powerful countries to colonize the land resources of weaker countries, without using of physical coercion or deplyment of military forces.

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Nepal’s REDD+ Readiness Preparation and Multi-Stakeholder Consultation Challenges

Cited by 18 publications

References 29 publications

Framing REDD+ at National Level: Actors and Discourse around Nepal’s Policy Debate

Framing REDD+ at National Level: Actors and Discourse around Nepal’s Policy Debate

Indigenous Peoples, Indigenous Knowledge and Their Issues on Climate Change, particularly on REDD+, in Developing Countries

International environmental policy processes that dispossessed developing societies of public land resources: A case study of Nepal

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