Realising rights, protecting forests: an alternative vision for reducing deforestation - case studies from the Accra Caucus

Abstract

The Accra Caucus for Forests and Climate Change is a coalition of NGOs from the Global North and South, 1 which have followed the negotiations at the UNFCCC since 2008. In this report the Caucus proposes an alternative vision for achieving the objective of reducing deforestation, arguing for policies and actions that would tackle the drivers of deforestation, rather than focusing exclusively on carbon. Drawing on case studies from organizations with experience of working with forest communities, the report highlights problems linked to the implementation of REDD and suggests ways in which policies to reduce deforestation can actually work on the ground. Through case studies from selected countries the report highlights three critical components: full and effective participation (Indonesia, Ecuador, Democratic Republic of Congo); secured and equitable land rights (Brazil, Cameroon, Papua New Guinea) and community-based forest management (Tanzania, Nepal). This report is intended primarily for opinion-formers and decision makers with a role in making and influencing national policy and legislation on REDD. The case studies show that respecting the rights and realities of indigenous peoples and forest-dependent communities is the only way to ensure that the forests remain standing