Future of REDD+

Not all environmentalists are convinced of REDD+’s benefits, even with major overhauls. Brose said Indigenous-led initiatives or collective global funds are more effective, and any changes to REDD+ are unlikely to make a significant impact on the climate crisis or prioritize Indigenous communities.

“You can improve REDD as much as you want, but it will not bring results,” he said.

The strong influence of the Indigenous peoples, local communities and Afro-descendant peoples’ movements across Latin America offers a way of positioning their agendas at the forefront of discussions on biodiversity conservation and climate action, said Juan Pablo Sarmiento Barletti, governance, equity and well-being scientist at the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), who wasn’t involved in the new study.

Barletti said the challenges facing REDD+ offer a chance to improve discussions at the U.N.’s COP16 biodiversity summit, now underway in Cali, Colombia. Delegates from around the world will discuss, among other issues, biodiversity credits, which are being promoted as a win-win solution for both people and the environment, applying lessons learned in existing climate solutions to the emerging ones.

“There are issues for [Indigenous peoples, local communities, and Afro-descendant peoples] that must be considered in those [biodiversity credit] debates, and what has happened around REDD+ is a good way to start understanding how to do things better,” Barletti said.