A first-of-its-kind comparative analysis that finds that world-leading forest offsetting and REDD+ schemes – used by some of the world’s biggest polluters – are failing forests by allowing millions of credits to be generated that simply do not represent real emissions reductions.
Publication type: Report
Paying poorer countries to protect their forests seems like a good idea for both the climate and sustainable development. However, the reality of reducing emissions from deforestation and degradation (REDD+) is often far more complex and difficult to navigate. This briefing unpacks some of the key issues with market-based REDD+, the alternatives that can unlock … Read more
After years of intense international negotiations and delays, the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) has now been adopted but the final agreement is a mixed bag – while it contains some hard-fought guarantees for Indigenous Peoples and other local communities, core concerns about the “30×30” plan remain. Ultimately, governments have missed a huge opportunity for a … Read more
A new comprehensive mapping and analysis by RFUK and Earth Insight shows that oil and gas expansion in the Congo Basin is a rapidly accelerating existential threat to the global climate, and to the world’s second largest rainforest – including the tens of millions of people who live there. There is still time for African … Read more
Building on ‘Realising the Pledge,’ a briefing by the Rainforest Foundations of the United Kingdom, the United States and Norway on how the US$1.7 billion Forest Tenure commitment at COP26 can reach critical frontline forest defenders, this Brief looks at major opportunities to unlock system-level change in key tropical forest regions such as the Congo … Read more
A briefing from the Rainforest Foundations of the United Kingdom, the United States and Norway for climate funders and policy makers on what it will take to realise the US$1.7 billion pledge on indigenous peoples and other local communities and to mainstream support to these groups in climate and biodiversity funding more broadly.
A report by RFUK reveals the growing extent, and impact, of transport and energy infrastructure development in the Congo Basin – which is on its way to becoming a major driver of deforestation in the world’s second largest rainforest. The eight case studies featured in this report show that, while certain projects may bring some … Read more
New research demonstrates a clear link between the establishment of commercial logging operations and a cascade of deforestation. Investigating forest loss in DRC across 60 logging concessions and eight ‘control’ areas, the findings from this study show that the selective logging of high-value timber species is not a sustainable form of forest management, but rather … Read more
An external evaluation of the ‘Embedding community Real Time Monitoring (RTM) to sustain livelihoods and forests in West and Central Africa’ project took place between October 2020 and January 2021. This project, funded by the UK government, seeks to improve forest governance in Cameroon, Ghana, DRC and Republic of Congo by strengthening of forest communities’ … Read more
A new study by Action pour la promotion et protection des peoples et espèces menacées (APEM) and the Rainforest Foundation UK (RFUK) finds that one of the world’s highest profile emissions reductions programmes is failing to uphold social safeguards, deliver local benefits, or prevent deforestation.