Copenhagen - With little hope of a consensus on a legally binding treaty, only a political statement signed by the expected 119 heads of state, there has been one issue which has received backing across the board. This is the inclusion of reduced emissions from deforestation and forest degradation or ‘REDD’ within any Climate Agreement. What is REDD and what has it got to do with SNV?
In short, the removal of forests represents an estimated 20% of global greenhouse gas emissions. As the Stern Review highlighted, REDD offers a cost-effective mechanism to combat climate change and its inclusions is mandatory to ensure the earth does not go beyond a 2C temperature rise. With REDD offering a potential income source for the billions of forest dwelling communities, it has become an issue of growing interest and importance for SNV
A series of Heads of State have put their weight behind REDD which led to a pledge by - Australia, France, Japan, Norway, the UK and US - which will collectively commit US$ 3.5 billion over three years to combating deforestation and reducing emissions.
The SNV delegation at the Copenhagen Summit has been closely involved in the REDD debate. This included involvement in ‘Forests Day’ which is the ‘global event on REDD’; this was the third such Event organised by CIFOR and was the biggest and boldest yet. SNV was closely involved, providing findings from its work with IIED and co-hosting one of the eight learning events on ‘governance and institutional capacity building’. The Panel selected by SNV included Dr Pham Manh Cuong, the REDD co-ordinator in Vietnam and Wangari Maathai, Nobel Prize winner for peace. The side event attracted over 300 people and further elevated SNVs growing profile on REDD.