How can new resources for ongoing and future REDD+ projects be mobilized? Does REDD+ contribute to a broader shift towards a green economy? And would this transition benefit women, youth and marginalized people?
These were some of the questions asked during a UN-hosted event that launched UNEP’s new report on REDD+ in a green economy. For the report’s lead author, Jeff McNeely, the answer lies in breaking down sectoral silos and coordinating between different actors. As an example, McNeely cited growing private sector interest in sustainable investments: “Responsible companies are seeking ways to do more with less, decoupling consumption from economic growth, promoting biologically diverse groforestry and creating markets for ecosystem services such as water sequestration”,
Building on the findings of a Symposium held in Indonesia, UNEP’s International Resource Panel convened an International Working Group on REDD+ in a Green Economy, composed of experts from a wide range of relevant technical fields, including economists, social scientists, foresters, and spatial planning experts. Over the past six months, the Working Group has synthesized the views of some of the great diversity of stakeholders with an interest in REDD+ and a Green Economy, or in either of these two seemingly disparate initiatives, leading to this report. The vision was that REDD+ could be a catalyst for building broader support for a Green Economy, and that the global interest in a Green Economy could support REDD+ and contribute to its implementation.
Download the full report and the summary for policy makers.
