REDD+ and related initiatives

Relevant resources

Indigenous Peoples in Paraguay seek solid guarantees for the protection of their collective rights in national REDD planning processes

7 December, 2010

Indigenous Peoples and indigenous organisations in Paraguay have worked hard in 2010 to obtain guarantees from the government and the United Nations that any policy, decision or initiative relating to REDD readiness will respect their collective rights, including rights to land and the right to free, prior and informed consent (FPIC). Through its participation in the national REDD Committee, for example, the Coordinadora por la Autodeterminación de los Pueblos Indígenas (CAPI) has stressed that the UN-REDD programme must comply fully with its own Operational Guidance on Indigenous Peoples. At the same time, CAPI has insisted that the government must fulfil its obligations under international and regional human rights treaties that the country has ratified.

Indigenous peoples strive for recognition of their rights as international agencies scramble for REDD+ deal

6 December, 2010

While inter-governmental climate negotiations (UNFCCC) still face major stumbling blocks to achieving a global agreement on climate change finance, independent initiatives on REDD+ have multiplied in the past few months. At the same time, indigenous peoples continue to express concerns that insufficient measures are being taken to respect their rights. The Governments leading the ‘Interim REDD+ Partnership’, for example, have held meetings in recent months that have not given enough space for indigenous peoples’ participation. Meanwhile the key donor agencies in the ‘Partnership’ are seeking to harmonize their REDD-related activities and finance: the World Bank’s Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF) has responsibility for ‘readiness planning’ and preparation activities (the so-called ‘first’ phase’) and then a ‘third phase’ of actual REDD actions; the World Bank’s Forest Investment Programme (FIP) has funds for a ‘second phase’ of implementing the ‘readiness plan’; and UN-REDD, which deals with measuring, reporting and verification (MRV), stakeholder engagement and indigenous peoples’ participation.

Slow progress in climate negotiations towards Cancun. REDD+ related outcome still unclear - risks dilution of language on indigenous peoples’ rights, safeguards.

6 December, 2010

Indigenous peoples demand respect for their rights at the negotiations site of UNFCCC COP16, Cancun

Governments met in Tianjin (China) in early November for a UN Climate Talks session to prepare for the Conference of the Parties (COP16) taking place in Cancun (Mexico) in December. No real advancement was registered towards a legally binding agreement, with parties postponing any decision on emissions reductions to 2011 at COP17, and governments remained reluctant to make strong commitments on safeguards for REDD+. COP 16 was expected to deliver a series of COP Decisions including “Readiness phases of activities that contribute to mitigation actions in the forest sector (REDD plus).” However, the Chair of the Ad Hoc Working Group on Long-term Cooperative Action (AWG-LCA), Margaret Mukahanana-Sangarwe, is now aiming at a single COP decision encompassing topics on which she believes progress has been achieved (including REDD+).

Statement of Daysi Zapata, Vice-President of AIDESEP to the World Bank FCPF Participants Committee. November 2010

3 November, 2010

only available in Spanish

Spanish (0.1 MB)

AIDESEP Letter to the World Bank Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF), Technical Advisory Panel (TAP), Peruvian Ministry of Environment (MINAM) and other entities involved in the REDD process. October 30th, 2010

AIDESEP

30 October, 2010

English (0.1 MB)

Forest Peoples Programme Comments on the draft R-PP template (v.5). October 2010

FPP

30 October, 2010

English (0.1 MB)

AIDESEP Statement on REDD policies and indigenous peoples’ rights. 28 October 2010

AIDESEP

28 October, 2010

Unofficial Translation

English (0.1 MB)

Spanish (0.1 MB)

Managing Indonesia's Forests - news item featured in Engage Media October 25, 2010

25 October, 2010

'Seasoned campaigner Patrick Anderson of the Forest Peoples Programme, talks to the Jakarta Foreign Correspondents Club Panel about the Indonesian forests, the peoples living in them, and challenges both the activists and the government are facing.' Read the full article on Engage Media.

‘Unsafeguarded’ Norwegian money for REDD triggers controversy

14 October, 2010

The dismally slow progress in the intergovernmental negotiations to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases prompted the Norwegian government, in May, to fast track its own money through a parallel ad hoc financing mechanism to pay developing countries for reducing their emissions from deforestation. The process was initially set up with minimal participation but, in response to protests, the Norwegian Government insisted that it would require respect for indigenous peoples’ rights and sound governance. These claims are beginning to seem increasingly hollow.

Cameroon REDD community consultations

14 October, 2010

In July 2010, Baka, Bagyeli and Bakola forest people – together with their local support NGOs – conducted consultations in southern Cameroon to inform their communities about potential REDD projects. They were very clear that climate change was already affecting their lives and that they fear REDD projects might not benefit them. Indeed, there are about seven REDD projects currently planned in Cameroon. According to recent FPP fieldwork, in at least two of the projects, the local communities have not even been informed. See a related press release