REDD+ Policy Approaches in the Congo Basin: A Comparative Analysis of Cameroon and the Democratic Republic Congo (DRC)

Forests

Kalame Fobissie¹  Dieudonne Alemagi²  Peter A. Minang³ 

[1] Viikki Tropical Resources Institute (VITRI), Department of Forest Sciences, P.O. Box 27, Latonkartanonkaari 7, FI-00014 University of Helsinki, Finland;World Agroforestry Centre, Yaoundé P.O. Box 16317, Cameroon; E-Mail:;World Agroforestry Centre, P.O. Box 30677, Nairobi 00100, Kenya; E-Mail:

关键词: Congo declaration;    forest governance;    REDD+;    UNFCCC;   

DOI  :  10.3390/f5102400

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

The Congo Basin forests are a prime location for implementing REDD+. National REDD+ policy processes are ongoing and many REDD+ pilot initiatives are being demonstrated. However, the level of national engagement, progress and distribution of REDD+ activities varies considerably in the different Congo Basin countries. This study therefore uses a set of criteria to assess national and international policy initiatives and approaches for advancing REDD+ implementation in Cameroon and the Democratic Republic Congo (DRC), two countries where more than two thirds of the Congo Basin forests are concentrated. Our findings show that (i) both countries have shown the highest political presence at the international climate negotiations but DRC has invested more in the size of its delegation and side events; (ii) REDD+ donors, initiatives, and funding are disproportionately skewed towards DRC making it technically more advanced; (iii) the high political interest and institutional reforms in DRC favors private sector investments in REDD+ programs; and (iv) the REDD+ policy process is internally-driven in Cameroon with a strong national ownership, while it is externally-driven in DRC with weak national ownership. To advance REDD+, the government of DRC should embark on capacity building programs that ensure the transfer of REDD+ technical know-how from international to national actors while Cameroon needs to speed-up governance reforms and be more flexible in order to attract influential international REDD+ actors. This paper further provides specific recommendations.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2014 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.