Do Definitions of Forest and Forest Degradation Matter in the REDD Agreement?

Abstract

Given that widespread degradation of tropical forests causes the release of similar amounts of greenhouse gases as deforestation, managed forests could mitigate global warming while contributing to sustainable development. Unfortunately, in the international debates leading up to a post-Kyoto climate change agreement, the focus continues to be almost entirely on deforestation. Worse yet, unless safeguards are in place, continued use of the Kyoto Protocol's definition of forest could inadvertently accelerate forest degradation in developing countries putting the ecosystem functioning and the continuous flow of ecosystem services at risk. This report motivates the need for a new definition of forest and for inclusion of forest degradation in the new global climate change convention.