Tropical forests are continuing to disappear at an alarming rate: between 1990 and 2005, the rate of deforestation averaged about 13 million hectares a year, occurring mostly in tropical countries. Planting of new forests as well as natural expansion of forests in some countries have somewhat decreased the net loss of forests, yet we are still losing about 200 km2 of forest each day.

These trends are a result of land use change, mainly the expansion of agricultural land, which in turn is closely connected to the conditions of rural livelihoods, the increasing demands for food, feed and fibre and the overall economic development.

IPCC’s Fourth Assessment Report indicates that the forestry sector, mainly through deforestation, accounts for about 17% of global greenhouse emissions, making it the second largest source after the energy sector. In many developing countries, deforestation, forest degradation, forest fires and slash and burn practices make up the majority of carbon dioxide emissions.

There are many causes of forest degradation and they vary from place to place. They include, among other things, poor forest management practices in production forests, forest fires, overgrazing, overharvesting of fuelwood and other non-wood forest products, illegal cutting of timber, forest pest outbreaks and forest disease.

Deforestation and forest degradation also have severe adverse impacts on forest biodiversity, the availability of wood and non-wood forest products, soil and water resources and local livelihoods and often remove an important safety net for the rural poor.

Efforts to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD) may play a significant role in climate change mitigation and adaptation, can yield significant sustainable development benefits, and may generate a new financing stream for sustainable forest management in developing countries. If cost-efficient carbon benefits can be achieved through REDD, increases in atmospheric CO2 concentrations could be slowed, effectively buying much needed time for countries to move to lower emissions technologies. 

Support for efforts to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation has been expressed at the highest political levels and has been included in the Bali Action Plan adopted by UNFCCC at the thirteenth session of its Conference of the Parties (COP-13) held in Bali, Indonesia in December 2007. The Plan mandates Parties to negotiate a post 2012 instrument, including possible financial incentives for forest-based climate change mitigation actions in developing countries.

COP-13 also adopted a decision on “Reducing emissions from deforestation in developing countries: approaches to stimulate action”. This decision encourages Parties to explore a range of actions, identify options and undertake efforts to address the drivers of deforestation.

UNEP is currently working in partnership with FAO and UNDP to develop a meaningful programme for implementation and channeling of funds for REDD efforts and encourage coordinated and collaborative UN support at the national level. The programme will also help empower countries to manage their REDD processes and facilitate access to financial and technical assistance tailored to their specific needs.