What is REDD about?

REDD (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) initiatives, as they are currently being discussed within international climate negotiations, propose to pay developing countries for the carbon value of their forests. It is believed that these payments could shift the balance away from the economic incentives currently favoring deforestation, thus making sustainable forest management a more profitable alternative for developing countries.

It is estimated that deforestation in developing countries may today contribute approximately 20% of the world’s GHG emissions. Human activities has caused  large-scale deforestation to occur for several centuries with the balance now shifting from developed to developing countries in recent decades. It has been found that as rural incomes rises due to increase economic development in developed countries, the rates of deforestation tend to decrease overtime with the trend, while developing countries on the other hand is the opposite.

Along with the objectives of the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), a system of policy approaches and positive incentives was established to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD) while recognizing the rights and roles of rural communities, native and indigenous peoples (or landowners) in order to ensure the sustainability of REDD mechanism is implemented.

Also, the REDD mechanism once established will recognize the traditional knowledge, the intrinsic value and relationship with tropical forests, and will significantly support the social, environmental and economic development in the rural communities of concerned  countries. 

At present most developing countries struggle to adequately address the drivers of deforestation because of insufficient domestic resources and overly cumbersome requirements from international agencies. Likewise, effective implementation will be unlikely without confidence that the opportunity costs associated with forgone land-use activities will be replaced.  The REDD mechanisms is set up on voluntary basis and is developed to be fair and equitable, thus recognizing differing national circumstances, and socio-economic and cultural settings.

The National Government currently is tasked to finalise and implement REDD in PNG. Upon finalization and implementation of REDD, it is expected to join the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) as the main mitigative measures for PNG which the government will use in reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the country.