The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) was established to avoid negative impacts of climate change through prevention, mitigation and adaptation. In the Kyoto protocol however, a mechanism to provide incentives for emission reductions from forests was not included. The omission of nearly one fifth of global anthropogenic emissions from deforestation and land use change, is not rational.
The Kyoto Protocol will end in 2012 and it is apparent that the much larger fluxes from deforestation and forest degradation need to be brought under control to achieve the proposed climate objectives. The Bali Action Plan states that a comprehensive approach to mitigate climate change should include: “Policy approaches and positive incentives on issues relating to reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries; and the role of conservation, sustainable management of forests and enhancement of forest carbon stocks in developing countries.” More recently, the “+” in REDD+ has drawn increasing attention towards activities related to the conservation and enhancement of carbon stocks. REDD+ could simultaneously address climate change and rural poverty, while conserving biodiversity and sustaining vital ecosystem services.

The objective of REDD+ is to scientifically, technologically and financially support developing countries to install policies and measures that reduce deforestation and degradation. To ensure demonstrable results on emission reduction, REDD+ must be effective in targeting the wide range of agents involved in deforestation and degradation. Therefore they must incentivize and reward good performances compared to reference scenarios and adequately compensate agents that suffer losses from changed practices. In this respect, valuable lessons can be learned from past and ongoing conservation efforts that have apparently failed. International REDD+ payments are likely to be performance based, both in terms of emission reduction at national scale and the environmental and social impacts of the system, meaning that accountability, transparency, risk management, adequate benefits transfer and administration mechanisms will be essential for attracting investment.
 Objectives of Be-REDDi:
    •    Assess methodological issues regarding monitoring land use changes (deforestation, degradation and regreening) using low and high resolution satellite imagery.
    •    Testing of a framework to assess the sustainability of REDD+ mechanisms regarding environment (carbon sequestration), the economics (e.g. leakage) and the social aspects (livelihoods and local perspectives).
    •    Integrate and link Belgian expertise on REDD related issues with selected international institutions.
    •    Draw lessons for the relevant Belgian policy level (DGDC, BTC, DG for the environment).