REDD PLUS, a must for African Forest communities

By Friday Phiri

Deforestation and forest degradation, through agricultural expansion, conversion to pastureland, infrastructure development, destructive logging, fires etc., account for nearly 20% of global greenhouse gas emissions, more than the entire global transportation sector and second only to the energy sector.

In a bid to reverse the scenario, the United Nations Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) was devised in an effort to create a financial value for the carbon stored in forests, offering incentives for developing countries to reduce emissions from forested lands and invest in low-carbon paths to sustainable development.

An additional component to make it "REDD+" goes beyond deforestation and forest degradation, and includes the role of conservation, sustainable management of forests and enhancement of forest carbon stocks.

In the following insert, Mr. Tosi Mpanu Mpanu Member of the Governing Board of the African Risk Capacity, a specialized agency of the African Union, speaks on the importance of REDD+ to African communities whose livelihoods depend on forests.