Redd+ Beyond Carbon, Essay Example

Introduction

Deforestation has been in the center of attention in recent years, due to the environmental impact of the agricultural and industrial developments close to natural forests. One of the earliest publications of the United Nations (1994) brought up the issue from the social perspective. The document concluded that human activity has a great impact on natural environments, and can affect the lives of millions. Deforestation is one of these activities; people trade long-term support of the nature to short-term benefits, creating hazard and health risks for future generations. The below paper about REDD+ will examine how the United Nations promotes the protection of nature in the interest of humans.

REDD+ Program Review

The REDD+ Program was started by the United Nations in 2008 (UN, 2013). The short name stands for “United Nations Collaborative Programme on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Developing Countries”. The program is designed to help developing countries successfully reduce the environmental and human impact of deforestation and create national strategies to reduce emissions. In countries where all investment is welcome, as there is a low level of industrialization and infrastructure, residents can be endangered by the sudden increase of industrial and agricultural activities. Countries where industrialization is already completed can build upon their past experience, research funded by the United Nations, to support developing nations’ REDD+ strategy. The United Nations works alongside with national governments to develop a strategy for their own country.

The five year plan of the United Nations related to the REDD+ program includes some key elements, such as increasing the involvement of developing countries,  working with strategic partners, and creating effective regulations on national levels to stop deforestation and create greener economies.

REDD+ initiatives consist of forest carbon partnership policy, forest investment program, and the UN-REDD+ program, funded by international organization and participating countries. The program is designed to provide multiple benefits for countries and citizens alike. According too the policy document (Dickson et al. 2012, p. 1), participating “countries have agreed to `promote and support` a set of safeguards”. Further, the Cancun Safeguards, created by the United Nations in 2010 are providing guidance on implementing strategies, changes, and regulations to deal with the environmental challenges of industrialization and agriculturalization of countries. According to the Austin, Daviet, & Stolle (2010, para. 2), the new Cancun agreement “now clearly states that REDD+ is not only about reducing emissions but halting and reversing forest loss”. The United Nations also supports research to map ecosystems present in countries where deforestation is a threat. Further, the researchers and experts at the REDD+ team investigate cot-effective solutions to reduce the environmental impact of deforestation, so the implementation of intervention programs is not creating an extensive extra cost for countries’ governments. Through the recently developed global land use model (GLOBIOM), the researchers can determine the possible impact of each type of land use short- and long term (Dickson et al., 2012, p. 6).

International Protocols Designed to Protect the Environment

The main protocol that is designed to protect natural ecosystems, humans, and the environment is the Kyoto Protocol, which came into force in 2005, after a long negotiation process (7 years). It is a binding agreement that makes participating countries reduce their greenhouse emissions by 5.2 percent between 1990 and 2010, while providing reduction targets for countries in Europe, America, and Asia  (Kyoto Protocol website, n.d.).

Further, the United Nations has created the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer in 1987. It was aimed at reducing the emission of gases into the atmosphere that can harm the Earth’s protective ozone layer, like CFC, found in several aerosol products.

Another agreement is the Convention on the Transboundary Effects of Industrial Accidents (1992) which was attempting to strengthen the guidelines of environmental safety precautions to be applied by companies carrying out industrial activities near natural ecosystems, or populated areas. The agreement provided legal grounds for countries to make successful environmental damage claims against other countries, and this forced several companies to adapt more rigorous regulations related to international industrial activities.

The Convention on Civil Liability for Damage Resulting from Activities Dangerous to the Environment (1993) stated that the emissions created by one country can potentially cause environmental damage to another state, therefore, they are liable for any environmental impact.

All the above regulations, conventions, and protocols are designed to make countries, companies, industry leaders, and individuals take responsibility for their actions that might potentially cause harm for humans or natural habitat in the area where the activities are carried out.

Conclusion

The above review has revealed that the United Nations has several protocols, programs, and initiatives that protect the environment from damage caused by humans. REDD+ is only one of the successful programs, targeting countries that are the most at risk. In today’s globalized world, developing countries often welcome investment just to support the economy of the nation. However, without any guidelines in place, they would endanger their natural assets, and potentially the lives of their residents. The protocols, guidelines, programs, and agreements are designed to prevent companies and countries causing damage to the natural habitat. Deforestation is an important issue, because without the rain forests found in Latin America and Asia, the health of the human population of the Earth can be endangered. As the Environmental Defense Fund (n.d.) stated: “unless we change the present system that rewards forest destruction, forest clearing will put another 200 billion tons of carbon into the atmosphere in coming decades…,”

References

Austin, K., Daviet, F. & Stolle, F. (2010) The REDD+ decision in Cancun. Retrieved from http://www.wri.org/blog/2010/12/redd-decision-cancun

Environmental Defense Fund (n.d.) REDD+ is ready to help save the Earth’s climate. Retrieved from http://www.edf.org/climate/redd

Dickson, B., Bertzky, M., Christophersen, T., Epple, C., Kapos, V., Narloch, U. & Trumper, K. (2012) REDD+ beyond carbon: supporting decisions on safeguards and multiple benefits. UN-REDD PolicyBrief  Issue 02

Kyoto Protocol. (n.d.) “Website” Retrieved from http://www.kyotoprotocol.com/

UNN-REDD+ (2010) The UN-REDD programme strategy 2011-2015. Retrieved from http://www.unep.org/forests/Portals/142/docs/UN-REDD%20Programme%20Strategy.pdf

United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (1994) Environmental degradation and social integration. Retrieved from http://www.unrisd.org/80256B3C005BCCF9/(httpAuxPages)/52B8B9CA2197847380256B65004C9CC9/$file/bp3.pdf