Recent acceptance of the role of forests in combating climate change provides significant opportunity for the forest sector to play an influential role in international climate policy negotiations, both under the UN’s Framework Convention on Climate Change and its associated Protocols, and in relation to the emerging voluntary market for forest-based carbon offsets. For forest stakeholders to take advantage of this opportunity they must be aware of the developing policies and be able to participate in their formation to the greatest extent possible. TFD has convened a series of dialogues on this issue since 2007.

Publications: 

TFD Review: Giving life to REDD+: Integrating REDD+ with broader development goals (English / Spanish)

Investing in REDD-plus

TFD Review on REDD-plus Finance and Implementation Dialogues:

Investing in REDD-plus English: (Low Resolution | High Resolution)
Investir dans la REDD-plus: Français
Invirtiendo en REDD-plus: Espanol

REDD+ Benefit Sharing Initiative

For REDD+ to be effective, a benefit-distribution system is needed to incentivize stakeholders, in particular the forest-dependent poor, to participate in REDD+. But a range of critical questions remain on the nature of such a system. Based on the learning from previous dialogues on REDD+ Readiness, TFD and IUCN will conduct a series of dialogues to investigate how to build effective, efficient and fair Benefit Sharing Mechanisms for REDD+ in 2013 and 2014.

List of third-party publications on REDD+ benefit sharing

REDD Readiness Initiative

A subset of the Forests and Climate issue area, the REDD Readiness series arose as the political process for REDD began to move forward along the UNFCCC path to Copenhagen. Concerned stakeholders groups, including governments, multilateral institutions, NGOs, indigenous groups, scientists, donors, and private sector groups have for some time been trying to address the gaps between a country’s willingness to participate in a future REDD mechanism and its technical and institutional capacity. While many countries are eager to participate in and prepare for REDD, resources--both monetary and technical--for building and conducting readiness processes are limited (for example UN-REDD and FCPF), and are benefiting only a limited set of countries. To bridge this gap between willingness and know-how and to ensure that different stakeholders’ voices are heard throughout the process, TFD initiated a series of REDD readiness field dialogues.

Hosting countries to-date include Brazil (October 2009), Ghana (November 2009), Guatemala (January 2010), Ecuador (June 2010) and Cambodia (November 2010). 

Meeting materials available.

Dialogues

TFD at UNFF 9

1 February, 2011 - UNFF 9

TFD at UNFF 9

TFD held a side event at UNFF 9 on 1 February 2011. The side event featured a diverse panel discussion on learning from the recent TFD REDD Readiness country Initiative. Please click here to view or download the presentation.

• The side event focused on the challenges, solutions and actions to optimize the positive aspects of REDD+ while minimizing the negative.
• Specific topics included benefit distribution, capacity building, local and national policy reform, community engagement and participation and livelihoods.

TFD Side-Event at COP17 on Giving REDD+ Life

7 December 2011 - Durban, South Africa

This side-event featured a practical and timely discussion on the findings from a multi-stakeholder dialogue process focused on improving in-country REDD Readiness processes (REDD) in Guatemala, Brazil, Ghana, Ecuador and Cambodia.

Panelists

Gary Dunning - The Forests Dialogue (TFD)
Robert Bamfo - Government of Ghana
Chea Sam Ang - Government of Cambodia

Meeting materials available.

Sixth REDD Readiness Dialogue

March 17-18, 2011 - Gland, Switzerland

Meeting materials available.

Fifth REDD Readiness Field Dialogue

1-4 November 2010 - Siem Reap, Cambodia

The Cambodia Dialogue brought international and local participants representing different stakeholder groups to the first REDD project site in Cambodia, located in Oddar Meanchey Province. The dialogue gave participants a platform to exchange their experiences and offer their insights on Cambodia’s REDD Readiness process while allowing them to reflect on their own country’s experiences in getting REDD+ Ready.

The dialogue was hosted by IUCN Asia Office and sponsored by NORAD and IIED.

Meeting materials available.

Fourth REDD Readiness Field Dialogue

15-18 June 2010 - Papallacta, Ecuador

TFD held its fourth REDD Readiness Field Dialogue in Ecuador.  Participants included leaders from local and international stakeholder groups. The group visited local forest-dependent communities in the provinces of Tena and Orellana for the first two days of the Dialogue. The final two days of the Dialogue consisted of round-table discussions that engaged participants and allowed them to exchange their experiences and visions for the REDD Readiness process in Ecuador. 

This dialogue was co-organized by the IUCN Regional Office for South America and the Ministry of Environment of Ecuador.

Meeting materials available.

Third REDD Readiness Field Dialogue

12-15 January 2010 - El Petén and Antigua, Guatemala

More than 70 leaders from local and international stakeholder groups joined TFD for the third REDD Readiness Field Dialogue. Participants visited local forest-dependent communities in Flores, Petén for the first two days of the dialogue. For the next two days, participants traveled to  Antigua, located in the central highlands of Guatemala, for an engaging meeting session where participants exchanged their experiences and visions for the REDD readiness process in the context of Guatemala. 

The dialogue is co-organized by IUCN Regional Office and sponsored by Norwegian Agency for Cooperation and Development (NORAD).

Meeting materials available.

Second REDD Readiness Field Dialogue

16-19 November 2009 - Busua, Ghana

The second REDD Readiness Field dialogue was held in Busua, Ghana from November 16th to November 19th, 2009. The dialogue attracted a wide spectrum of local stakeholder groups and international participants from countries including Ghana, Uganda, Cameroon, Liberia, Kenya, Indonesia, Guatemala, Guyana, Nepal, Brazil, USA, Switzerland, Norway and United Kingdom. Participants visited a landscape located in Wassa Amenfi West District on the first two days and exchanged their learning and experiences regarding getting REDD ready in their own countries in a plenary and working group setting in the next two days.

The dialogue is co-organized by IUCN Regional Office and sponsored by Norwegian Agency for Cooperation and Development (Norad). 

Meeting materials available.

First REDD Readiness Field Dialogue

26–29 October 2009 - Belém, Brazil

TFD initiated a series of REDD Readiness Field Dialogues after wrapping up its REDD Finance Dialogues in 2009. The first REDD Readiness Field dialogue convened in Belém, Brazil, from October 26th to October 29th. The dialogue was composed of a two-day-field-trip in Jari River Region and two days meeting in Belém, Brazil.

The dialogue was co-organized by Government of the State of Pará, Friends of the Earth – Brazilian Amazon, Roberto Marinho Foundation, Orsa Florestal, Amazon Solutions and Norwegian Agency for Cooperation and Development (Norad).

Meeting materials available.

Third Dialogue on Frameworks for REDD+ Finance and Implementation

5-6 August 2009 - Gland, Switzerland

Built on the momentum of the first two dialogues, TFD convened the third and final dialogue in the Framework for REDD Finance and Implementation¹ dialogue stream for 2009. The dialogue was hosted by IUCN on 5–6 August in Gland, Switzerland. Thirty-four participants from a wide spectrum of stakeholder groups participated in the meeting to addressed some key issues raised in the Montreux Dialogue and further developed a framework for REDD finance and implementation.

¹ It was agreed by the Gland dialogue participants that this dialogue stream has primarily addressed issues closely linked with REDD finance mechanism but not necessarily technical financial issues. Thus TFD will re-title the "Dialogue on REDD Finance Mechanism" Initiative to the "Dialogue on Frameworks of REDD Finance and Implementation" to capture the broad scope of this dialogue stream.

Second Dialogue on REDD Finance Mechanism

19-20 June 2009 - Montreux, Switzerland

Built on the outcomes of the first dialogue, TFD continued the discussion on REDD finance in Montreux. Through a facilitated plenary and working group based process, the Montreux Dialogue aimed to apprehend the development on REDD financing on the Climate Change negotiation front, integrate new developments into the discussion, reinforce some of the points of consensus and begin to bridge some of the points of disagreement that arose from the first TFD meeting in New York. The dialogue is co-hosted by NORAD and Swiss State Secretariat For Economic Affairs (SECO), supported by Intercooperation.

First Dialogue on REDD Finance Mechanism

25-26 April 2009 - New York City, NY, USA

The New York Dialogue was the first in a series of dialogues that engaged interested stakeholders in a constructive learning and discussion process on the options available for the development of future REDD financial mechanisms. The Dialogue focused on the various options for REDD financial mechanisms, the true fracture lines among stakeholders over the different REDD financial schemes, and consensus based solutions to address the challenges to successful implementation. This Dialogue was co-hosted by the UNFF Secretariat.

Global Forest Leaders Forum on Forests and Climate Change

16-17 September 2008 - Washington, DC, USA

The Global Forest Leaders Forum on Forests and Climate Change will convene approximately 150 CEOs of forest industrial companies, heads of leading conservation agencies and local community organizations, leaders of indigenous people groups, representatives of financing institutions and private foundations to review forest sector strategy options for addressing climate change through multi-stakeholder approaches. The Forum will develop and adopt a common vision for the positive role sustainable forest management can play in addressing climate.

Meeting materials available.

Dialogue on Forests and Climate - Gland, Switzerland

24-25 June 2008 - Gland, Switzerland

TFD convened its third dialogue under its Forests and Climate change initiative in Gland, Switzerland. It was preceded by a scoping dialogue in Bali, Indonesia and a second dialogue in Washington, DC. The objective of the Gland Dialogue was to develop, through multi-stakeholder discussions, key messages for a Global Forest Leaders Statement.

Meeting materials available.

Dialogue on Forests and Climate - Washington D.C.

1-2 April 2008 - Washington, DC, USA

TFD continued the discussions starting at its Bali Scoping Dialogue through convening the DC Dialogue. Participants shared perceptions about the key issues related to forests and climate change. This is the second dialogue in the Forests and Climate Initiative.

Meeting materials available.

Scoping Dialogue on Forests and Climate

9 December 2007 - Bali, Indonesia

TFD convened an initial scoping dialogue under the theme of Forests and Climate in Bali, Indonesia coinciding with the 13th Conference of the Parties of the United Nations' Framework Convention on Climate Change. The objective of the Dialogue was to develop key issues from which to base a future outcome-oriented, dialogue-based initiative that would strive to make a real impact on future climate arrangements. The dialogue brought together 30 leading actors working in this area representing a broad group of stakeholders.

Meeting materials available.