REDD+

The Evolution of REDD+ under the UNFCCC

The Evolution of REDD+ under the UNFCCC

The Evolution of REDD+ under the UNFCCC

The concept of REDD+ has evolved over nearly two decades through negotiations and decisions adopted by the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the UNFCCC.
The idea was first introduced during the eleventh session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 11) to the UNFCCC held in Montreal, Canada, in 2005, following submission of a proposal by Papua New Guinea and Costa Rica, on behalf of the Coalition for Rainforest Nations, highlighting the need to provide incentives to developing countries reducing emissions resulting from deforestation.

The proposal, entitled Reducing Emissions from Deforestation in Developing Countries: Approaches to Stimulate Action, marked the first formal consideration of forests as a climate change mitigation mechanism under the UNFCCC and initiated discussions on how forests could contribute to global climate change mitigation.

  • 11th Conference of the Parties (COP 11) held in Montreal, Canada, in 2005
    The journey began at the 11th Conference of the Parties (COP 11) held in Montreal, Canada, in 2005, when Papua New Guinea and Costa Rica, on behalf of the Coalition for Rainforest Nations, submitted a proposal highlighting the need to provide incentives to developing countries for reducing emissions from deforestation.
  • COP 13 in Bali, Indonesia, in 2007
    At COP 13 in Bali, Indonesia, in 2007, Parties adopted the Bali Action Plan (Decision 1/CP.13), which formally recognized the role of reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries and expanded the scope to include conservation, sustainable management of forests and enhancement of forest carbon stocks. This broader framework became known as REDD+.
  • COP decisions established methodological guidance for implementation
    Subsequent COP decisions established methodological guidance for implementation, including the development of national strategies, forest reference emission levels, national forest monitoring systems, safeguards and systems for providing information on safeguards.
  • A significant milestone was achieved during COP 16 in Cancun, Mexico, in 2010
    A significant milestone was achieved during COP 16 in Cancun, Mexico, in 2010, where the Cancun Agreements (Decision 1/CP.16) established the essential building blocks required for REDD+ implementation. These included the five REDD+ activities, the four REDD+ elements, safeguards and principles for national implementation.
  • Methodological guidance was adopted at COP 17 in Durban (2011), COP 18 in Doha (2012)
    Further methodological guidance was adopted at COP 17 in Durban (2011), COP 18 in Doha (2012), and culminated in the Warsaw Framework for REDD+ adopted at COP 19 in Warsaw, Poland, in 2013. The Warsaw Framework consolidated the technical and methodological guidance necessary for countries to implement REDD+ and access results-based payments.
  • REDD+ was officially recognized and integrated into the Paris Agreement in December 2015 during COP 21 in Paris.
    REDD+ was officially recognized and integrated into the Paris Agreement in December 2015 during COP 21 in Paris. It was adopted through Article 5 of the agreement, which establishes forests as an integral part of the global climate solution and encourages developing countries to implement and receive results-based payments for REDD+ activities. Today, REDD+ forms an important component of international climate action under the Paris Agreement and supports countries in achieving their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) while promoting sustainable development.