IUCN, the International Union for Conservation of Nature

IUCN promotes pro-poor REDD+ options and with the support of DANIDA currently supports the development of pro-poor options as part of national REDD+ readiness processes in five forest countries. The aim of this project is the strengthening and shaping of pro-poor options and elements as core principles of national REDD+ actions and strategies of Ghana, Guatemala, Uganda, Cameroon and Papua Province in Indonesia. Pro-poor approaches for REDD+ draw attention to the interests of forest dependent people and the need for REDD+ not to harm vulnerable groups but instead to strengthen their livelihoods and rights. Particular importance is given to the interests of indigenous peoples and other local communities and to other vulnerable groups such as women.

Their equitable participation and consultation has to be ensured as part of national REDD+ planning. Pilots that are part of the project in each country focus on activities such as the participatory assessment of the causes of deforestation and degradation; the strengthening of the participation of vulnerable groups in the defining of REDD+ activities; participatory processes for the definition and clarification of property boundaries, discussions about carbon rights; analyses of the impacts that REDD+ can have on the livelihoods of forest communities and the defining and monitoring of social baselines as indicators of the impact of REDD+ in forest communities.