REDD+ Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

REDD+ - Article Example The REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation and + refers to conservation and enhancement of carbon stocks) program has been created to reduce carbon emissions from forest lands and to contribute towards sustainable management of the forest ecosystems. Carbon emissions resulting from degradation of forest lands and deforestation carried out for agricultural purposes, infrastructure development, and creation of pasture lands and emissions resulting from forest fires, all contribute about 20% greenhouse gas emissions. It has been well documented that such emissions will have a major impact on the global average temperature. Concrete steps need to be taken to stabilize the average temperature within two degree Celsius and the REDD program has been created with this vision. Through the program developing countries are provided results-based incentives and support for capacity building to reduce the green house gas emissions and implement strategies to conserve the natural ecosystems and more specifically the forest carbon stocks as these have the potential to reduce climatic changes (http://www.un-redd.org; The UN-REDD Programme, n.d; Vhugen, Aguilar & Miner, 2012). In order to further assist developing countries to reduce forest carbon emissions a collaborative program with the UN was launched in the year 2008. The program was initiated with nine pilot countries from 3 continents: Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania and Zambia from Africa; Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and Vietnam from Asia-Pacific; Bolivia, Panama and Paraguay from the Latin America and the Caribbean. This program now supports operations in 44 partner countries in designing and implementing the REDD program. Additionally it also helps the participating counties to develop strategies, monitor the system effectively and provides methods, data and tools for the implementation of the program. The program is implemented country-wise and with the feedback given by other coun tries it supports the conservation of forest lands and reduces deforestation. There has been a gradual rise in the funding for the program as more countries have expressed interest in the program. In addition to the programs formulated for specific countries, the UN-REDD also supports REDD+ readiness through a Global Program in which policies and strategies are commonly developed to help countries in their REDD+ readiness efforts. The UN-REDD program also receives expertise on various issues related to conservation from three other participating organizations namely the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP). (The UN-REDD Programme, n.d). Members of the REDD+ program recently recognized the increasing responsibilities of legislators in passing laws and preparing budgets and in order to strengthen the parliamentary role in reducing emissions it has introduced a Globe Legislature Forest Init iative. Through this program legislators can help in reducing deforestation and emissions by providing governmental support, law enforcement, financial scrutiny and accountability. Through this initiative legislation and policies could be shared between nations and thereby contribute to the success of the program.