Frances Seymour, Director General of the Center for International Forestry Research, talks about the 13 million hectares of forests lost annually, and the state of REDD+ negotiations, the impact an agreement could have on deforestation rates and the challenges of implementing a future pact.

CIFOR Director General Frances Seymour discusses the latest trends on how REDD projects in Indonesia are intending to share resources with local communities: “We initially thought that the households would receive cash payments. In fact, it turns out that the projects in Indonesia are using other models. Concession models and investment in community infrastructure such as clinics and schools are being planned, rather than cash payments.”

CIFOR agricultural economist expert, Maria Brockhaus gives her comment on Norway country bilateral agreement as the way to avoid delays in hatching a post Kyoto Protocol deal through United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.Norway has invested heavily in finding measures to mitigate climate change through REDD (Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) hence they don’t want to see the process failing,” Dr. Brockhaus said.

Louis Verchot, CIFOR’s principal climate Change Scientist comments on REDD standard mechanism where it was touted as one of the biggest potential deals at Cancun. Some countries want to weaken requirements that forest communities give full, informed consent to REDD programs, arguing that such strict standards may be hard to meet, said Louis Verchot of the Center for International Forestry Research.

CIFOR’s Principal Climate Change Scientist Louis Verchot comments on the future climate change negotiation and REDD post COP16. The chances of a legally binding deal to tackle climate change are looking increasingly slim as the negotiations in Cancún, Mexico, enter their final days. So much so that even environmentalists are deserting the sinking ship. The only half-way successful negotiations in Cancún to date have been on REDD. Verchot’s expects the formation of a REDD “coalition of the willing”, made up of governments and corporations who want to fund forest protection schemes and developing countries keen to be funded.

CIFOR’s publication “A guide to Learning about livelihood impacts of REDD+ projects “are cited in the story on community agreement under REDD+ in India.

CANCÚN, Mexico – Forest rights advocates and indigenous community organisations from India are adding their voices to what promises to become the newest division in the climate talks here: the inclusion of Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation + in developing countries, or REDD+, as an agreement.

CIFOR”s Principal Climate Change Scientist Louis Verchot comments on REDD in Indonesia.

JAKARTA — For environmental campaigners and scientists discouraged by slow progress in the fight against climate change, Indonesia, with its vast forests and history of breakneck land clearing, has been a rare point of hope.