Subject: Environment & Ecology — Forest Conservation and Climate Change Sub-topic: REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) — UNFCCC Framework, India's National REDD+ Strategy, Forest Reference Level, Safeguards Mains GS Paper-III: Environment — climate change mitigation, forest conservation policies, international mechanisms.
EXAMINER REASONING
REDD+ is a results-based payment mechanism for forest conservation under UNFCCC — important because it links climate change mitigation with forest protection. Prelims tests: what REDD+ stands for, the five activities (deforestation, degradation, conservation, sustainable management, enhancement), Warsaw Framework, and India's + activities. Mains demands: (a) the architecture of REDD+ — Phases (Readiness → Implementation → Results-based payments), (b) India's National REDD+ Strategy (2018), (c) Forest Reference Level (FRL) — India's submission to UNFCCC, (d) REDD+ vs. Green Credit Programme comparison, (e) safeguards — Cancun Safeguards, the REDD+ Safeguard Information System (SIS) , (f) the role of FRA in REDD+ implementation. The examiner's favourite framing is: "Can REDD+ simultaneously address climate mitigation and forest-dwellers' livelihoods?"
Core Concept
What is REDD+?
REDD+ is a mechanism created by the UNFCCC to incentivise developing countries to reduce emissions from forests and enhance forest carbon stocks. The + goes beyond deforestation and degradation to include conservation, sustainable management, and enhancement.
The Five REDD+ Activities:
Activity
Description
Reducing deforestation
Stopping the conversion of forest to non-forest land
Reducing forest degradation
Stopping the reduction of forest quality (biomass, carbon density)
Submitted 2017; period 2000-16; ~18,000 ha/yr deforestation
India's National REDD+ Strategy
Released August 2018 — by MoEFCC
Forest cover (India 2023)
21.77% of geographical area — 7,15,343 sq km
REDD+ first conceptualised
COP 11 (Montreal, 2005) — proposed by Costa Rica and Papua New Guinea
Key REDD+ financing
Green Climate Fund, World Bank FCPF, UN-REDD Programme, bilateral
Challenges in India
Low capacity at state/district level; benefit sharing mechanism not fully operational; SIS not yet fully functional
PYQ Table
Year
Question
Type
2023
"What is REDD+? Discuss India's approach to REDD+ implementation."
Mains
2022
"REDD+ is a mechanism to incentivise forest conservation. Analyse its potential for India."
Mains
2021
"Explain the concept of Forest Reference Level in the context of REDD+. How has India approached it?"
Mains
2020
"Discuss the role of REDD+ in international climate change mitigation efforts."
Mains
2019
"What are the safeguards under REDD+? Why are they important?"
Mains
2018
Which of the following is/are the activities covered under REDD+?
Prelims
Statement Elimination Guide
Statement
Truth Value
Why?
"REDD+ only addresses deforestation"
False
REDD+ covers five activities — reduce deforestation, reduce degradation, conservation, sustainable management, and enhancement
"India has one of the highest deforestation rates globally"
False
India's deforestation rate (~18,000 ha/yr) is very low compared to Brazil, Indonesia, DRC
"REDD+ payments are being made to India for forest conservation"
Partly True
India is in Phase 2 (Implementation) ; results-based payments (Phase 3) have not yet started
"REDD+ safeguards include the right to FPIC for forest communities"
True
Free, Prior, and Informed Consent is a key Cancun Safeguard for respect of community rights
"The Green India Mission is India's primary REDD+ program"
True
Green India Mission (National Action Plan on Climate Change) is closely linked to REDD+ implementation
Current Affairs Hook
2023-26: The Green Credit Programme (GCP) (2023) introduced by MoEFCC — this is India's new forest conservation mechanism that has generated debate on whether it complements or overlaps with REDD+. The 2023 Forest Conservation Amendment Act has implications for REDD+ — it distinguishes between forest land and non-forest land, affecting the baseline for REDD+ calculations. India's Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) update (2022) includes a target to create an additional 2.5-3 billion tonnes of CO₂ sink through forest and tree cover by 2030 — REDD+ is a tool to achieve this. The COP29 (2024) discussions on Article 6 of the Paris Agreement include rules for REDD+ credits trading — India is pushing for recognition of its conservation efforts. The FRA vs. REDD+ tension persists — forest communities fear that REDD+ carbon commodification may override their rights. India submitted its REDD+ Technical Annex to UNFCCC in 2023, reporting emission reductions from forest conservation.
Interlinkages
→ Paris Agreement (GS-III): REDD+ is part of Article 5 — forest conservation in NDCs
→ Forest Rights Act (GS-III): Benefit sharing with communities — REDD+ must integrate FRA rights