Lessons from REDD for Agriculture

Christine Negra and Eva Wollenberg 2 December 2010

What  can  we  learn  from  the  technical  and  poli-cal  evolu-on  of  REDD  that  can  help  in  catalyzing  technical  investment  and  poli-cal    progress  for  agricultural  mi-ga-on…within  the  UNFCCC?  

o  Interviewed  32  close  observersand  ac-ve  par-cipants  in  the  evolu-on  of  REDD  for  their  insights  about  the  most  pivotal  developments,  instrumental  investments  and  impac9ul  partnerships  that  led  REDD  to  become  the  COP-­‐15  “success  story.”    

o  Literature  review  and  historical  Ameline  o  Rapid  assessment  –  not  comprehensive!      

Did  REDD  “take  off  like  a  rocket”?  

o  Reframing  by  CfRN:    potenAal  economic  gains  o  Stern  Review:  forest  miAgaAon  is  efficient,  cost-­‐effecAve  o  Norway’s  ~USD  3B:    analysis,  policy,  tesAng    o  Events  (Forest  Day)  o  Technical  progress  (IPCC,  GOFC-­‐GOLD,  methodologies)  o  Readiness  programs  (FCPF,  UN-­‐REDD,  NGOs)  o  Concept  development  (addiAonality,  baselines,  safeguards)  

What  can  we  learn  from  REDD?  

1.  Interna-onal  policy  support  o  PreparaAon  period:    technical  /  financial  confidence,  consensus  o  On-­‐the-­‐ground  demonstraAon  informs  policy  processes  

2.  Implementa-on  mechanisms  and  governance  o  Strategy  in  poliAcal  negoAaAons  (technical  details  for  experts)  o  Provide  informaAon  +  capacity  building    

3.  MRV  o  Global  framework:    accessible,  affordable,  ag  +  forestry  o  Balance  rigor  and  cost  o  Independent,  credible  verificaAon  and  standards  

What  can  we  learn  from  REDD?  (cont’d)  

4.  Finance  and  incen-ves  o  Early  donor  support:    “anchor”,  pilots  o  Coordinated,  integrated  with  sustainable  development  

5.  Capacity  o  Experience:  conservaAon,  inventories,  pilots,  markets    o  Readiness  programs:    effecAve;  need  coordinaAon,  mulA-­‐scale  

engagement  

6.  Co-­‐benefits  o  Standards  and  safeguards  o  Mechanisms  for  parAcipaAon  o  Depends  on  factors  external  to  UNFCCC  (eg,  tenure  rights)  

Is  agricultural  mi-ga-on  “taking  off  like  a  bumble  bee”?  

More  complex:      o  variable  across  landscapes,  Ame  scales,  pracAces,  ownership  o  MRV  for  belowground  C,  CH4  and  N2O    o  poliAcally  hot:    food  /  global  security,  agri-­‐business,  consumers    o  trade-­‐offs  with  adaptaAon,  producAvity,  trade?  o  lower  miAgaAon  potenAal  /  area    

•  aggregate  large  #  of  farmers?  •  miAgaAon  as  a  co-­‐benefit?  

In  the  UNFCCC:  o  “where  REDD  was  in  2005”    

•  need  principles,  credibility,  poliAcal  capacity,  coaliAons  o  potenAally  broader  base  of  countries  can  benefit  o  mulAple  approaches:      REDD++,  NAMAs,  adaptaAon  (confusion?)  

Is  there  a  sunny  side?    

o  Policy  windows:      •  Kyoto  Protocol,  current  negoAaAng  texts  ,  SBSTA  •  Beyond  UNFCCC:    bilateral  /  naAonal  acAon,  supply  chains,  trade  policy  

o  Growing  awareness:    interdependence  between  agriculture  and  forestry  and  global  security  

o  Early  indicaAons  of  leadership  •  Donors,  research  

o  Build  on  exisAng  /  emerging  efforts  •  Standards,  methodologies,  naAonal  accounAng  •  Translate  REDD  concepts  to  agriculture  or  innovate  

Shared  vision    

Analysis     Coordina-on     Money  flow    

Developing  a  shared  vision  

  Basis  for  self-­‐interested  acAon      Common  language    Technical  /  policy  fluency      Framing  policy  opAons    Top-­‐down  +  boiom-­‐up  

Tackling  high-­‐priority  analysis  

  SyntheAc  modelling      MeeAngs  /  plajorms  for  

technical  convergence    AuthoritaAve  independent  

review    Mandate  for  future  research  

Coordina-ng  efforts  

  Avoid  divisive  policy  blocs  and  fragmented  responses  

  Fill  key  gaps  in  communicaAon      Agreement  on  insAtuAonal  roles    

and  policy  strategy  

GeNng  the  money  to  flow    

  Support  readiness,  acAon  on-­‐the-­‐ground  

  Build  confidence    /  momentum      Diverse  approaches  to  gain  

experience    Synthesize  and  feed  into  policy  

process  

Thank you