Instead, a comprehensive framework should have positive incentives for afforestation and reforestation and sustainable forest management or the REDD plus approach. The Oslo meet seeks to arrive at an interim partnership arrangement for reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD) in developing countries.Â
India has said that the Oslo partnership must put REDD and other ‘plus' activities on the same footing, as envisaged in the Bali Action Plan. The focus at Oslo is on avoided deforestation. At stake is a $3.5-billion global fund being mobilised for the purpose. The fund was announced at the Copenhagen summit. India doesn't stand to gain from this REDD fund. Countries with tropical forests and high rates of deforestation like Brazil and Indonesia, Gabon and Papua New Guinea have a greater claim on the financial incentives and compensation.
Presenting India's position in Oslo, environment secretary Vijai Sharma said: “India believes REDD needs to be seen in the broader context of REDD+. The reduction of deforestation and conservation and enhancement of forest carbon stocks should be treated at par. Fairness requires that a unit of carbon saved should be treated the same as a unit of carbon added."
New Delhi maintains that there is a need to look beyond avoided deforestation and degradation and must incentivise efforts at increasing forest cover and sustainable forest management. This is the REDD plus approach. “We have stressed that REDD and REDD plus are two sides of the same mitigation coin and India's focus is on REDD plus," environment minister Jairam Ramesh said. Read the full report here.
Source: A Goswami, ET Bureau, New Delhi
