The 2013 version of the REDD+ Principles is out!

The Center has released a new 2013 version of the International Law Principles for REDD+: The rights of indigenous peoples and the legal obligations of REDD+ Actors. The REDD+ Principles is a tool to help indigenous peoples, States, and international agencies understand the human rights implications of conservation initiatives for Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation, or REDD+. The 2013 REDD+ Principles incorporate comments received from indigenous peoples, civil society organizations, and REDD+ implementing agencies. They also reflect the evolution of discussions and policy developments within and outside REDD+ agencies. We continue to seek input on the REDD+ Principles and will update them as necessary. Please send any comments to dcoffice@indianlaw.org. 

The REDD+ Principles, for instance, explain that indigenous peoples have unique collective rights to ownership over their lands, territories and resources. Unfortunately, concepts like land “tenure” or “carbon rights,” which have become popular in environmental and development circles, do not adequately acknowledge the unique rights of indigenous peoples. This leaves indigenous peoples at risk of having their lands taken or their rights diminished by governments or investors who seek to make a profit from conservation schemes. The REDD+ Principles help to ensure that the frameworks and standards associated with REDD+ are consistent with international law and that indigenous peoples benefit from conservation activities.

The Carbon Fund sidelines the rights of indigenous peoples

The Forest Carbon Partnership Facility’s Carbon Fund is designed to finance payments for emission reductions from REDD+ programs in several pilot countries. The Fund is run by public and private investors, including 15 donor countries, as well as three private companies and organizations. The World Bank oversees the work of the Fund. Over the past year, the Fund has been developing a Methodological Framework to assess countries’ progress in developing REDD+ and other emissions reduction programs.

The Center urged the Fund to include provisions to ensure that indigenous peoples’ ownership rights to their lands and resources are protected in REDD+ programs, and that any payments or buying or selling of carbon credits respects these rights. We filed comments in January and October, and participated in technical forums to raise critical concerns around indigenous peoples’ rights.

Unfortunately, the issue most critical for indigenous peoples – collective ownership of land and resources – was sidelined in the development of the Methodological Framework. Requirements that countries respect indigenous peoples’ rights were whittled down or removed. Now indigenous communities may see their lands and resources claimed by governments or other entities interested in profiting from carbon credits.

The Carbon Fund Framework will come up for finalization in December by Fund Participants: the European Commission, Australia, Canada, Germany, Norway, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States, British Petroleum Technology Ventures, CDC Climate, and The Nature Conservancy. 

If you have contacts with any of these donors, please encourage them not to support a Carbon Fund that doesn’t respect indigenous peoples’ collective ownership of their lands and resources!