The document discusses key issues related to monitoring, permanence, and indigenous peoples in the context of reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD). It notes the different definitions of "forest" and challenges of determining what constitutes natural forest versus semi-natural or naturally regenerated land. It also outlines minimum standards for independent forest monitoring and specific monitoring needs for REDD programs. The document questions which carbon standards should be used and raises concerns that indigenous peoples displaced by forest protection efforts can negatively impact forest ecosystems.

1. Monitoring, permanence, and indigenous
people
Simon Counsell, Director, Rainforest Foundation UK

2. Monitoring, permanence, and indigenous people

3. Monitoring, permanence, and indigenous people
Monitoring/definitions
“Forest” is a minimum area of land of 0.05-1.0
hectares with tree crown cover…of more than 10-30
per cent with trees with the potential to reach a
minimum height of 2-5 metres at maturity in situ…
[…]…Young natural stands and all plantations which
have yet to reach a crown density of 10-30 per cent
or tree height of 2-5 metres are included under
forest…”
UNFCCC, ‘Marrakesh Accords, 21 January 2002

4. Monitoring, permanence, and indigenous people
Natural
forest?
Semi-natural forest?
Natural re-growth
on previously
cleared land?

5. Monitoring, permanence, and indigenous people

6. Monitoring, permanence, and indigenous people

7. Monitoring, permanence, and indigenous people

8. Monitoring, permanence, and indigenous people
Targeting the wrong people?

9. Monitoring, permanence, and indigenous people

10. Monitoring, permanence, and indigenous people

11. Monitoring, permanence, and indigenous people
Monitoring
Minimum standards for Independent Forest
Monitoring:
- Access to information
- Freedom to investigate and monitor
- Reporting Panel
- Freedom to publish

12. Monitoring, permanence, and indigenous people
Monitoring
Independent monitoring specific to REDD:
- Rights to the resource
- Transparency and participation in
decision-making
- Product and service tracking
- Law enforcement
- Revenue distribution
- Accountability

13. Monitoring, permanence, and indigenous people
International agency
National agency
Independent Independent
audit of monitoring of
transactions results
Sub-national/provincial
agency
Local agency/
communities
Within or between communities

14. Monitoring, permanence, and indigenous people
Which standard?
• Gold Standard (GS)
• Voluntary Carbon Standard (VCS)
• VER+
• The Voluntary Offset Standard (VOS)
• Chicago Climate Exchange (CCX)
• The Climate, Community & Biodiversity Standards
(CCBS)
• Plan Vivo System
• CarbonFix Standard (CFS)
• ….how many more to come…??……

15. Monitoring, permanence, and indigenous people
•

16. Monitoring, permanence, and indigenous people
Permanence

17. Monitoring, permanence, and indigenous people
Permanence

18. Monitoring, permanence, and indigenous people
Permanence
“The consequences of the displacement
and resettlement [of indigenous peoples]
has in turn a set of degrading effects on
forest ecosystems.”
(Cernea and Schmidt-Soltau, 2003)