Part of acheiving REDD+ will include the implementation of policies and measures to effectively address the drivers of deforestation and forest degradation. Some of the main drivers are often outside the forest sector and therefore cross-sectoral policy solutions are likely to be most appropriate to address these. The alignment of REDD+ with the objectives of other sectors in REDD+ countries will also be important to ensure national ownership and political sustainability of REDD+.
The agriculture and energy sectors in particular are closely linked with forests and therefore with REDD+. Agriculture is the primary driver of deforestation in Latin America and Asia and as global demand for agricultural products increases, the competition between agriculture and forests is set to increase. Biofuel production (for renewable transport energy) is partly driving this demand for agricultural products and land, linking forests to the energy sector. Forests also provide biomass energy, relied on by 2.7 billion people living in mainly rural areas in developing countries. These close links demonstrate the need to better understand how other sectors will affect the implementation of REDD+ and where tradeoffs and synergies exist.
REDD-net has been working on the links between REDD+ and these other sectors and what this might mean for the implementation of equitable REDD+ policies and programmes. Please see below for some of our work in this area, which will be added to in the coming months.
