Concern about ‘equity’ is voiced by many stakeholders in the REDD+ debate. However, it is often not clear which of the different facets of equity is being discussed: is it equity of distribution (of costs and benefits) between generations, between local, national and international stakeholders and between households within communities, or is it equity of involvement of different stakeholders in decision-making about local and national initiatives? Equity is often used interchangeably with 'justice' in many discussions of REDD+. A clear and common terminology around equity is needed to ensure that these discussions are clearly framed.
REDD-net is therefore involved in a 2-year multi-partner project funded by the UK government’s Ecosystem Services for Poverty Alleviation Programme (ESPA) to develop a rigorous definition of the different dimensions and types of equity in the context of ecosystem services. The project will also draft a conceptual framework that describes how changes in global values of ecosystem services (e.g. carbon prices) affect equity at local level (e.g. in terms of how costs and benefits of associated land use systems are distributed among different stakeholders). This framework should help decision-makers in REDD+ and PES programmes minimise negative impacts on equity and maximise positive impacts on poverty alleviation.
Please see below for more information about the project, working papers and other REDD-net publications offering insights into equity in the REDD+ debate.
