Title: On managing co-benefits in REDD+ projects

Authors: Gabriela Simonet; Philippe Delacote; Nicolas Robert

Addresses: CIRAD, Montpellier, France; Chaire Economie du Climat, Paris, France ' INRA, UMR 356 Économie Forestière, F-54000 Nancy, France; Agroparistech, Engref, Laboratoire d'économie forestière, F-54000 Nancy, France ' European Forest Institute - Mediterranean Regional Office, Sant Pau Art Nouveau Site - Sant Leopold Pavilion, St. Antoni M. Claret 167, 08025 Barcelona, Spain

Abstract: Beyond their high potential for climate change mitigation, forests provide many other benefits, notably on livelihood, biodiversity, soil and water quality. In this paper, we assess the level of consideration for such co-benefits in REDD+ projects and carbon markets. We first show that the topic is particularly relevant when climate change mitigation and other benefits are substitutable. Then, we discuss the impact of managing co-benefits in REDD+ projects. We give an overview of the current level of consideration for co-benefits in the voluntary carbon market, based on the results of a survey conducted on players of this market. Finally, we discuss the impacts of integrating more broadly REDD+ projects in compliance markets and show that it might lead to a decrease in the production of co-benefits.

Keywords: REDD+ projects; climate impact; socio-economic impact; production frontier; carbon markets; co-benefits; forests; climate change mitigation; livelihood; biodiversity; soil quality; water quality; forest preservation; forestry.

DOI: 10.1504/IJARGE.2016.076909

International Journal of Agricultural Resources, Governance and Ecology, 2016 Vol.12 No.2, pp.170 - 188

Accepted: 13 Feb 2015
Published online: 07 Jun 2016 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article