IETA Launches Publication Series and Two New Papers on REDD+

Washington, DC – At a press conference held jointly with Avoided Deforestation Partners at IETA’s Carbon Forum North America, the International Emissions Trading Association (IETA) unveiled a new publication series that will address critical policy issues for REDD+ from the perspective of the private sector. Henry Derwent, President and CEO of IETA and Richard Saines, Principal at Baker & McKenzie LLP & IETA’s Land-Use Working Group Chair represented IETA at the press conference.

The first two papers released delve into the issues of the “Nested Approach” and “REDD+ Trajectories”. They aim to explain how these concepts should be integrated into a REDD+ Crediting Mechanism in order to ensure an opening for private sector investment and private sector participation in efforts to protect forests on-the-ground.  IETA will release additional papers on other critical issues in the coming months.

This initiative is the latest in IETA’s efforts to encourage global, national, and sub-national efforts to reduce tropical deforestation.  Reducing emissions from deforestation and encouraging sustainable land-use practices hold immense potential to address climate change while generating significant environmental and social co-benefits.  There is currently a significant funding gap between public money pledged to REDD+ efforts and the funding requirements to effectively address the issue. Tapping into private sector finance and utilizing private sector experience on-the-ground can help bridge this gap and further develop best practices for REDD+ efforts.

This press conference came shortly after IETA’s CFNA Plenary Session entitled “The REDD Waiting Game,” where Mr. Horowitz moderated a panel of high-level speakers from government, business, and civil society as they discussed the state of US and international efforts to support REDD policy, markets and investments.

Please visit the conference website to see the full list of speakers and conference program at CFNA.