Posted on December, 07 2014

Lima, Peru -- 7 December 2014 -- Negotiators took a pass on finalizing the two pending elements of an international mechanism to reduce emissions from tropical deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+) – the second largest source of emissions that cause climate change – at the UN climate change meeting in Lima.

It was an up and then down week for REDD+ at the 20th Conference of the Parties to UNFCCC.  The first few days of negotiations started off with promise as the co-chairs of the REDD+ agenda item under the technical body (SBSTA) tabled a draft text that suggested a way forward to finalize the pending issues – safeguards and non-market based approaches, including the Joint Mitigation and Adaptation Mechanism.

During negotiations, Parties discussed the need for further guidance around safeguards information systems. WWF had called on Parties to agree on the need for straightforward guidance for safeguards that doesn’t overburden countries but provides a way forward. However, many developing countries noted that no further guidance was needed on safeguards (at this point or even later on) and instead suggested setting up a process to share experience and exchange information on the topic.

Furthermore, Parties couldn’t agree on the elements for a decision that addresses the methodological considerations for the Joint Mitigation and Adaptation Mechanism.  Some developed countries noted that REDD+ already covers a wide variety of approaches, including enhancement of forest carbon stocks, sustainable forest management, and the flexibility to recognize national circumstances. These countries noted that current REDD+ guidelines are appropriate for all countries and no additional mechanisms are needed because the existing framework can accommodate all approaches.

Although Parties came very close to reaching an agreement, the divergence of positions on both topics, and insufficient time to reach a negotiated solution resulted in the lack of progress and the closing of the negotiations without conclusions at the end of discussions last night. The group will pick up from where it left off on these discussions at the UNFCCC intersessional meetings in June 2015.

“We are disappointed that Parties could not compromise on these pending issues for REDD+. We needed to see strong political will and the spirit of collaboration here in Lima and are frustrated by this lack of progress,” said Josefina Brana-Varela, Policy Director for WWF’s international Forest and Climate Programme. “But time is not on our side as we head toward Paris next year – we must get serious about addressing climate change by making commitments to slow tropical deforestation and forest degradation the norm and not the exception."