REDD+ & POST-CONFLICT
A briefing for the Oslo REDD-Exchange
By Arthur Blundell, Emily Harwell, Kerstin Canby - Forest Trends, Natural Capital Advisors, Forest Trends View PublicationSince the first commitments for Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation (REDD+) were announced in Bali in 2007, more than half of all participating countries have experienced violent conflict involving organized, armed groups (see Figure on reverse). Through programs like the United Nations–REDD Programme, the World Bank-hosted Forest Carbon Partnership Facility and Forest Investment Program, as well as the Amazon Fund, and various bilateral and private programs, REDD+ can help avoid a resumption of violence and reinforce peace processes around the globe. REDD+ offers a plausible alternative to sectors that have contributed to conflict, such as industrial forestry and plantation agriculture, and governance reform associated with REDD readiness can contribute to environmental peacebuilding. If properly designed, REDD+ programs can strengthen peace and security as much as they can mitigate climate change, improve environmental management, and support local communities.