Avoided Deforestation (REDD) and Indigenous ... - Amazon Fund

did not establish any mechanism to stimulate the reduction of deforestation, as done for other
sources of emissions. This is because the idea of including tropical rainforest conservation as part
of an international climate agreement initially provoked opposition for fear that it might lead to
releasing developed countries from their obligation to reduce their industrial emissions. Other
concerns arose regarding the technical aspects of forest carbon monitoring and considering that
such a mechanism could threaten the sovereignty of developing countries with forests. 8
However, since 2005 there have been improved discussions and proposals focused on
creating a reduction mechanism for GHG emissions coming from deforestation. Reservations
about potentially negative consequences for the countries involved have also been taken into
consideration. 9 This mechanism was initially called the Tropical Deforestation Emission Reduction
Mechanism (TDERM), which later came to include the possibility of tackling the GHG emissions
caused by forest degradation (intensive logging, for example), as well as including measures
for conservation and for increasing carbon stocks in forests. Thus, TDERM came to be known as
REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation), the term currently used.
Summarizing, the REDD+ mechanism attempts to contribute to a reduction in
deforestation – and to the consequent reduction in GHG emissions – in tropical countries, by
means of financial and technological incentives. 10
The major idea behind the REDD+ mechanism is that developing countries (including Brazil
among) are able to verifiably reduce their national deforestation levels in comparison to a pre-established
historical average, and adjust for national circumstances, should be financially compensated for their
efforts. 11 This also occurs when some countries decide to adopt clean technologies even though they
are not under any obligation to do so. 12 Therefore, projects that avoid or reduce deforestation in a
certain region or place should also benefit from said financial compensation.
8 ANDERSON, Anthony B., Redução de Emissões Oriundas do Desmatamento e Degradação Florestal (REDD): Desafios
e Oportunidades (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation: Challenges and Opportunities),
Mudanças Climáticas (Climate Changes), ANDI, 2009.
9 The item, reducing emissions from deforestation in developing countries first appeared at the 11th Conference
of the Parties in Montreal (COP11), December of 2005. Report of the Conference of the Parties on its eleventh session,
held in Montreal from November 28 to December 10, 2005. FCCC/CP/2005/5, paragraphs 76–84.
10 Bali Action Plan, Decision 1/CP13 and Decision 2/CP13, FCCC/CP/2007/6/Add.1
11 In the last SBSTA recommendation approved by COP15 “ it was noted that national circumstances include those
of countries with specific circumstances, such as high forest cover and low rates of deforestation.”
FCCC/SBSTA/2009/8, paragraph 30.
12 SANTILLI, Marcio et al. “Tropical deforestation and the Kyoto Protocol: an editorial essay”. In MOUTINHO &
SCHWARTZMAN, Tropical Deforestation and Climate Change, 2005.
78 Av o i d e d d e f o re s t A t i o n (redd) A n d i n d i g e n o u s p e o p l e s: experiences, chAllenges A n d o p p o r t u n i t i e s in t h e A m A zo n c o n t e x t