REDD+ for Climate Change: Ensuring the Rights of Local Communities

In the face of the threats posed by climate change, initiatives for the conservation of natural resources are now being prioritized globally, particularly the conservation of watersheds and forests to reduce carbon emissions. REDD+ (Reducing Emissions, Deforestation, and Forest Degradation and the Conservation of Existing Carbon Stocks) is now gaining ground as a sound mechanism to address climate change. However, countries need to mainstream and adequately implement the social, governance, and environmental safeguards of REDD+ for the mechanism to succeed. Likewise, the issue of carbon property rights needs to be clarified to ensure that the rights of the primary duty bearers of forest and watershed management are recognized.