Compromise needed on REDD+ Finance says WWF
Warsaw, Poland -- 18 November 2013 – REDD+ could be one of the few successes of this year’s global climate change meeting taking place in Warsaw, Poland – or not. The fate of REDD+ now rests with the ability of Parties to agree on the issue of REDD+ finance. While Parties showed a noteworthy ability to work together to agree on draft text for key methodological issues of reference levels (RLs) and monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV), this good work is now threatened if no agreement on REDD+ finance is achieved.
“The time is now for all Parties to show their ability to work together to agree on an architecture for REDD+ finance, if there is to be any hope for REDD+ funds to be unlocked in the near-term,” said Josefina Brana-Varela, Policy Director of WWF’s global Forest and Climate Programme.
Some observers and Parties, frustrated by the lack of agreement to-date on a REDD+ finance mechanism, are calling for a new REDD+ body to be formed. While WWF shares their concerns related to the lack of coordination of the support for REDD+, WWF believes that creating a new body is not the solution at this point and this will only slow the process further.
“All Parties have reiterated their commitment to REDD+ at COP19 in Warsaw by working together on the methodological decisions. Now is their chance to demonstrate their political will to make REDD+ a reality,” added Brana-Varela. “We don’t need a REDD+ body – which will only drag the discussions all the way to 2015 and beyond. If REDD+ funds are to flow, we need a REDD+ finance agreement here and now in Warsaw. All Parties must work together and make this happen.”
WWF works to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation for the benefit of people and nature. Up to 17% of global carbon emissions are caused by forest loss – more than the carbon emissions from all the trucks, cars, trains, planes and boats in the world – combined.
WWF is an observer at the global climate meeting and has a specialized REDD+ team on-site to support the development of a REDD+ mechanism by Parties to the UNFCCC. As part of this, WWF has released a series of policy brief on its expectations for REDD+ at UNFCCC-COP19, as well as a series of visual map of REDD+ within the UNFCCC system, developed in partnership with UCS and Yale School of Forestry, to guide negotiators and observers through the often complex process. These and other valuable REDD+ related tools and information can be downloaded at: http://bit.ly/WWF-UNFCCC.
For further information:
Visit www.panda.org/forestclimate or contact: forestclimate@wwf.panda.org
Mandy Woods, Head of Communications, WWF Global Climate & Energy Initiative, email: mwoods@wwf.org.za, mobile: +48 515 289 239, skype: mandibles-sa, twitter: @MandyJeanWoods
George Smeeton, Media Relations Manager WWF-UK, email: GSmeeton@wwf.org.uk, mobile: +44 (0)7917 052 948, skype: georgesmeeton, twitter: @GSmeeton
Ian Morrison, Media & External Affairs, WWF-US, email: ian.morrison@wwfus.org, mobile: +1 202 372 6373, twitter: @i_morrison