ABSTRACT
Not only has there been little CDM implementation for forest projects in Africa, but CDM does not encompass avoided forest loss, whether from deforestation or
forest degradation. The Bali climate change meetings in 2007 generated an agree - ment by delegates to include issues of avoided deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+) in future discussions, thus reflecting an interest in lowering carbon emissions from forest change. As such, a key element of REDD+, unlike earlier initiatives such as LULUCF (Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry) and CDM, lies in its role as a mechanism for bringing natural tropical forests into efforts to reduce total global emissions of greenhouse gases (Sasaki and Putz, 2009). This enables REDD+ to potentially be an important mechanism for providing financial rewards to developing countries that reduce the loss of natural forests, whether through deforestation or forest degradation. Given the high rates of forest degradation throughout sub-Saharan Africa, REDD+ has potential to address an important issue in Africa while bringing African countries into global strategies for climate change.
