Accra Caucus: Key messages on REDD

PHOTO Credit: Julia Forchhammer.

The Accra Caucus is a coalition of more than 100 non-governmental organisations from 30 countries. It was formed in August 2008, in Accra, Ghana at a meeting organised to discuss issues and concerns associated with REDD. Before COP15 in Copenhagen, December 2009, the Accra Caucus produced a list of key messages to be included in any agreement on REDD.

No agreement came out of Copenhagen on REDD. In fact, little real progress has been made on the fundamental issues since Papua New Guinea and Costa Rica introduced the idea in Montreal at COP-11 in 2005. The Accra Caucus slammed what little came out of Copenhagen on REDD, pointing out that “Despite positive statements, the REDD text contains no overall target for halting deforestation, and no guarantee of funding beyond some short-term funding arrangements.” Emissions from fossil fuels must be included in any REDD deal. “How can we expect countries with tropical forests to reduce their emissions, while countries with factories keep on polluting?” Raja Jarrah from CARE International asked.

The Accra Caucus Key Messages on REDD are below (also in French and Spanish).

Accra Caucus on Forests and Climate Change – COPENHAGEN key messages

The overall objective is to halt deforestation, therefore any REDD agreement must;

• include a target for ending deforestation by 2020,

• protect intact natural forests and their biodiversity,

• support restoration of degraded natural forests,

• recognise that plantations are not forests, and should be excluded,

• take action against the real drivers of deforestation – traditional sustainable uses are not deforestation,

• not benefit large scale, industrial activities like logging, cattle ranching and agro-fuel production,

• include policies and measures against demand side drivers of deforestation, including trade agreements, to ensure that they do not contradict or undermine the goal of halting deforestation and degradation.

A lasting reduction of emissions from deforestation and forest degradation is only possible if REDD processes respect the rights of indigenous peoples and local communities,¹ as defined in UNDRIP and other international instruments and agreements, and ensure;

• the free, prior and informed consent of indigenous peoples and local communities to any activity that has an impact on them; consultation is not a substitute for consent,

• the full and effective participation of indigenous peoples and local communities throughout the entire REDD process, which includes design, planning, implementation and monitoring,

• protection of secure rights to lands, resources and territories pertaining to indigenous peoples and local communities,

• an accessible, independent and transparent complaints mechanism providing timely redress for adverse impacts of REDD.

Forests are more than carbon and so the arrangements for MRV (measurement, reporting, and verification) must;

• cover social impacts and safeguards as well as emissions reductions, including: governance, implementation of rights, participation, proxy indicators of deforestation and degradation, biodiversity; traditional livelihoods & knowledge,

• allow details about all criteria and indicators to be developed after Copenhagen and mandate a body for doing so which includes representatives of indigenous peoples and local communities,

• recognize indigenous peoples and local communities as key actors in the MRV process from design to implementation, contingent on their free, prior and informed consent,

• be truly independent to ensure credible monitoring.

REDD financing should be additional to, and not a substitute for, emission reductions under a climate agreement, and must;

• be accessible through a transparent and reliable public-funded mechanism under the UNFCCC, additional to ODA,

• be adequate in scale, in line with developed countries’ historical responsibility for climate change,

• not be used to offset developed countries emissions,

• benefit forest dependent peoples and reach them in an equitable manner.

1. The Accra Caucus fully supports the Policy Statement of the Indigenous Peoples Forum on Climate Change