Dryland Areas, Forgotten by REDD?

Abstract

- Current REDD focus on countries with high forest cover and/or high deforestation rates overlooks important carbon pools like dryland forests, rangelands and agro-forestry systems, likely leading to leakage. - Current UNFCCC forest definition excludes vast areas of open forest, generally in the dry tropics, likely leading to leakage. - Complicated and lengthy procedures exemplified by the current afforestation/reforestation rules of the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM A/R) make poor communities or countries unable to participate in land based carbon emission reduction initiatives.