Analysis of the Potential for Reducing Carbon Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD) in Indonesia

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Activity Type: 
Activities Related to Financing SFM

The objective of the analysis was to clarify possible strategies for REDD in Indonesia‘s major forest land use types and identify pilot projects for testing the potential of “avoided deforestation” payments. It analyzed the reduced level of emissions that could be anticipated through introduction of improved land use and land conversion strategies in five forest land use categories, namely: protected areas, production forests, forests being managed to provide raw material for the pulp and paper industry, for the oil palm industry and in peat lands. 

The Project made a significant contribution to financing a series of nine multi-stakeholder studies that assessed options for adjusting historical approaches to forest conservation, sustainable forest management and forest land use. These studies analyzed how adjustment to forest conservation and land use strategies could lead to quantified and verifiable reduction in carbon emissions. Strong emphasis was given to linking climate change REDD initiatives to conservation and development strategies that would address poverty alleviation by engaging local communities as beneficiaries of programs for effective management of protected areas, for sustainable management of natural forests and for establishment by local communities and small holders of plantations and agro forestry crops such as oil palm on non forest and degraded lands.

The studies identified a series of “Readiness” capacity building activities for implementation beyond COP 13. These include strengthening of capacity for measurement and monitoring of forest change and carbon emissions, further exploration of potential carbon buyers and sellers, strengthened capacity for more effective forest governance (aimed especially at containment of illegal logging). They also include provision for further development and testing of REDD payment distribution mechanisms.   They identified criteria and principles for selection of pilot projects for implementation between 2009 and 2012 that will create opportunities to test the effectiveness of those land use strategies that would be most likely to slow deforestation and degradation.