International REDD+ architecture and its relevance for India
REDD+ presents opportunities to cater to the varied needs and interests of a wide range of stakeholders. On the one hand, it lends itself towards meeting emission reduction targets of Annex I countries, and on the other, it has the potential to significantly contribute towards strengthening SFM and sustainable development efforts of developing countries. However, implementing REDD+ at the national and local level requires reducing gaps in understanding the issue as well as increasing capacity (technical, human and financial) for implementation. Inadequate means of implementation remains another grey area for effective implementation of SMF, particularly in developing countries. India has played a pivotal role in framing the modalities of REDD+ in international negotiations on climate change. Because of its long standing commitment towards conservation and management of its forest resources, India is favourably placed to gain access to both financial and technical resources available under the provisions of UNFCCC. The resources generated from REDD+ will not only help strengthen implementation of existing forest policies and programmes but also contribute towards community development, biodiversity conservation, enhancing provision of ecosystem services including carbon services as one of the co-benefits. The current levels of assistance under ODA are largely insufficient for meeting SFM requirements and REDD+ objectives, and therefore, adequate funding should be made available under the existing financial mechanism to support all activites that are eligible under REDD+. for full text: http://moef.nic.in/assets/redd-bk5.pdf