Day 1: Forum Presentations

The opening day presentations set the scene for Forum discussions by providing a conceptual framework and different stakeholder perspectives on forest-carbon financing. Please click on the presentation title.

Payments for Environmental Services

What have we learned so far?

Sango Mahanty, through research for RECOFTC and Australian National University, draws on lessons from Payments for Environmental Services (PES) schemes in the region and their importance for forest-carbon financing. Mahanty argues that the risks and opportunities regarding equity and sustainability for local actors in REDD must be considered.

Click here to view the related issues paper, and here for an abstract of current research, which will be available in full in October.

REDD Markets: Experience from the Private Sector

Kay Kellweit is a manager for the forestry investment company New Forests, and brought a valuable private sector perspective to the Forum. Drawing on project lessons, Kellweit concludes that private sector investment in REDD can potentially reach areas not attractive to public/multilateral funding. However, the risks will only be taken on if there is certainty on legal rights to trade in carbon, legal arrangements for revenue sharing, and legal recognition of projects within national-level activities.

Forest Carbon: The Local Perspective

What’s in it for us?

In this presentation, RECOFTC’s Ben Vickers explains why local communities are essential to the success of forest-carbon financing, and what basket of benefits they need to ensure their positive engagement.

A feature article based on this presentation will be available soon; keep an eye on the Community Forestry E-news for this.

Trees, Markets, and Communities: All Aboard to Copenhagen?

FAO Senior Forestry Official, Patrick Durst, begins with an overview of FAO’s global and regional forestry work related to climate change. Durst then warns of the mounting expectations for forestry, points out the challenges ahead, and issues a timely reminder that forestry is more than REDD.