REDD+ Partnership

Deforestation

Deforestation

Courtesy of the EPA

Deforestation
Courtesy of the EPA

Deforestation

Deforestation

Courtesy of the EPA

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In May 2010, fifty nations attended a Climate and Forest Conference in Oslo at which a new REDD+ Partnership (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degredation) was established.

At the conference, the host country Norway formed an agreement with Mexico and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to work together towards reducing climate change impact by tackling deforestation. Through this agreement, Norway pledged €2.1m to the Democratic Republic of the Congo in order to enhance Africa’s climate negotiations.

Norway also hoped that the cash pledged at the Copenhagen Conference (COP15) in December 2009 could be used to help address the issue of deforestation, which accounts for 15-20% of greenhouse gas emissions caused by human activity. The United States, Australia, France, Japan, Britain and Norway had already agreed to pledge $3.5bn towards saving forests, but following the Climate and Forest Conference the total amount of aid increased to $4bn between 2010 and 2012.

The parties involved in this new REDD + Partnership (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degredation) have agreed to increase the aid after 2012 provided that sufficient emission reductions have been achieved. One representative from a developing and a developed country will co-chair the REDD+ Partnership.