According to the Center for International Forestry Research, cattle ranching for beef has caused the majority of felled forests in Latin America, tens of thousands of square kilometers each year! The overwhelming majority of that lost forest becomes pasture, and most of that pasture is used for grazing cattle, intended for eventual export on the international market. Modern-day beef consumption may thus represent the pursuit of our own material comfort at the expense of our forest

CIFOR’s list of the main issues under REDD and REDD+ quotes in proposal mechanism that would benefit rainforest nations. They are:

– How can the carbon stored in forests be accurately measured so as to put a value on it?

– Forest data in many countries is poor or non-existent – how can emission reductions be monitored, reported, and verified?

– Who will make payment?

– Who will receive payment – national governments, indigenous communities or logging companies?

– How do we ensure transparency and accountability in these transactions?

– How do we ensure that emission reductions are permanent and the forests remain standing?

– Where will the money for the compensation come from – governments, donors or carbon markets?

Douglas Sheil, CIFOR’s senior associate comments on current palm oil expansion as a series of trade offs.”Implementing oil palm developments involves many tradeoffs,” Sheil and CIFOR colleagues wrote in a report published in 2009. “Oil palm’s considerable profitability offers wealth and development where wealth and development are needed—but also threatens traditional livelihoods. It offers a route out of poverty, while also making people vulnerable to exploitation, misinformation and market instabilities. It threatens rich biological diversity—while also offering the finance needed to protect forest. It offers a renewable source of fuel, but also threatens to increase global carbon emissions.”

Frances Seymour, CIFOR’s Director General comments on importance awareness of forest initiatives. “[Given that] governments face significant political and financial risks [from the domestic forestry sector] in undertaking deforestation initiatives, this gives us a chance to show support for their decisions,” said Seymour. According to FAO report, high rate of forest clearing is continues in order to make way for agriculture.

Markku Kanninen, CIFOR senior associate scientist points out, the REDD agreement on forests would not mean that countries have to stop using charcoal altogether. Over 87 percent of Tanzania’s population depends on charcoal and wood for cooking and heating and this puts immense pressure on the country’s woodlands. “People should be encouraged to plant more trees for charcoal and donors can support such programs,” says Kanninen. “Forest conservation is a responsibility of all people not only forest departments.” Under REDD, countries and communities could be rewarded financially if they manage their forests in a way that means new trees grow faster than old ones are used for charcoal of firewood.

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.”