Do trees grow on money?: the implications of deforestation research for policies to promote REDD

CIFOR is a leading international forestry research organisation established in 1993 in response to global concerns about the social, environmental, and economic consequences of forest loss and degradation. CIFOR is dedicated to developing policies and technologies for sustainable use and management of forests, and for enhancing the well-being of people in developing countries who rely on tropical forests for their livelihoods. CIFOR is one of and Zimbabwe, and it works in over 30 other countries around the world. Donors CIFOR receives its major funding from governments, international organizations, private foundations and regional organizations. Photo credit: Cover by Leon Budi Prasetyo – Thousands of hectares of peatland forests are cleared and burnt to develop rubber tree monoculture plantations, iii Contents Preface iv Acknowledgements vi Summary vii 1. Introduction 1 2. What do we know about deforestation? 5 2.1 A brief look at current rates 5 2.2 Forest transitions 10 2.3 Implications for future REDD regimes 10 3. The direct and underlying causes of deforestation and degradation 15 3.1 Definitions and distinctions 15 3.2 Direct causes of deforestation and degradation 17 3.3 Underlying causes of deforestation and degradation 21 3.4 Implications for future REDD regimes 27 4. Policy options for reducing deforestation and degradation 29 4.1 Economic and financial instruments 30 4.2 Direct regulation 35 4.3 Strengthening governance mechanisms and institutional capacity 39 4.4 Implications for future REDD regimes 42 5. Implications for policies and further research to support REDD 45 5.1 Forest carbon monitoring and baselines 46 5.2 Policy options 47 5.3 Institutional and governance needs 49 References 53