Hello everyone,because UNFCCC negotiations are text-based and often difficult to understand, I am copyingthe Cancun outcome on REDD below with a few headings and comments added by myself which are supposed to facilitate understanding. I will be sending a longer email with the title"Why REDD+ is dangerous" soon and this one can serve as a reference where you can check what the text actually says. The text itself is publishedhere:http://unfccc.int/files/meetings/cop_16/application/pdf/cop16_lca.pdf best wishes,Kjell

Outcome of the work of the Ad Hoc Working Group on long-term Cooperative Action under the Convention

(AWG-LCA, one of the two negotiation tracks on the BaliRoadmap - the other one is the AWG-KP on the Kyoto Protocol)

The Conference of the Parties [...]III. Enhanced action on mitigation [...]C. Policy approaches and positive incentives on issues relating toreducing(R)emissions(E)from deforestation(D)and forest degradation(D)in developing countries; and the role of conservation, sustainable management of forests and enhancement of forest carbon stocks(+)in developing countries

Absence of a Quantified Target for Halting Deforestation. :(

Affirming

that, in the context of the provision of adequate and predictable support todeveloping country Parties, Parties should collectively aim to slow, halt and reverse forestcover and carbon loss, according to national circumstances, consistent with the ultimateobjective of the Convention, as stated in Article 2,Broad Country Participation (international leakage naturally ensues if only a few countries areon board in a REDD mechanism)

Also affirming

the need to promote broad country participation in all phases described inparagraph 73 below, including through the provision of support that takes into accountexisting capacities,Please don't forget the drivers! (something that happens too often)68.

Encourages

all Parties to find effective ways to reduce the human pressure on forests thatresults in greenhouse gas emissions, including actions to address drivers of deforestation;Safeguards should be "promoted and supported".69.

Affirms

that the implementation of the activities referred to in paragraph 70 below shouldbe carried out in accordance with annex I to this decision, and that the safeguards referred toin paragraph 2 of annex I to this decision should be promoted and supported;Scope of the mechanism: REDD+ (nothing added nor modified since Bali)

70.

Encourages

developing country Parties to contribute to mitigation actions in the forestsector by undertaking the following activities, as deemed appropriate by each Party and inaccordance with their respective capabilities and national circumstances:(a) Reducing emissions from deforestation;(b) Reducing emissions from forest degradation;The following three together constitute the "+" in REDD+(c) Conservation of forest carbon stocks;(d) Sustainable management of forest;(Which could be logging, according to the loggingcompanies)(e) Enhancement of forest carbon stocks;(Which could include clearcutting natural"degraded" forests and planting monoculture plantations, according to the wishes of someinfluential groups.)71.

Requests

developing country Parties aiming to undertake activities referred to inparagraph 70 above, in the context of the provision of adequate and predictable support,including financial resources and technical and technological support to developing countryParties, in accordance with national circumstances and respective capabilities, to develop thefollowing elements:(If money flows, they will do the following:)(a) A national strategy or action plan;Reference Level, to determine the Historical Rate of Deforestation (considered the Baseline).(b) A national forest reference emission level and/or forest reference level (Footnote: Inaccordance with national circumstances, national forest reference emission levels and/orforest reference levels could be a combination of subnational forest reference emissions levelsand/or forest reference levels.) or, if appropriate, as an interim measure, subnational forestreference emission levels and/or forest reference levels, in accordance with nationalcircumstances, and with provisions contained in decision 4/CP.15, and with any furtherelaboration of those provisions adopted by the Conference of the Parties;Forest Monitoring System to know Emissions from the Sector exactly.(c) A robust and transparent national forest monitoring system for the monitoring andreporting of the activities referred to in paragraph 70 above, with, if appropriate, subnationalmonitoring and reporting as an interim measure, (Footnote: Including monitoring andreporting of emissions displacement at the national level, if appropriate, and reporting onhow displacement of emissions is being addressed, and on the means to integratesubnational monitoring systems into a national monitoring system.) in accordance withnational circumstances, and with the provisions contained in decision 4/CP.15, and with anyfurther elaboration of those provisions agreed by the Conference of the Parties;(Subnational REDD is now fine, as opposed to Copenhagen where the National Level seemedto become the only option, because of the Leakage Problem.)Safeguards - "Providing Information" on them, the weakest formulation of those that were onthe table.

(d) A system for providing information on how the safeguards referred to in annex I to thisdecision are being addressed and respected throughout the implementation of the activitiesreferred to in paragraph 70, while respecting sovereignty;Important "Soft Skills" of a REDD Programme (the hard one is the Carbon)72.

Also requests

developing country Parties, when developing and implementing theirnational strategies or action plans, to address, inter alia, drivers of deforestation and forestdegradation, land tenure issues, forest governance issues, gender considerations and thesafeguards identified in paragraph 2 of annex I to this decision, ensuring the full and effectiveparticipation of relevant stakeholders, inter alia, indigenous peoples and local communities;(Please don't forget the drivers, land rights, good governance, gender, the safeguards you willinform about and participation of the forest people!)Phased Approach in 3 Phases: 1. Readiness, 2. Pilots, 3. Performance-based with full (carbon)MRV73.

Decides

that the activities undertaken by Parties referred to in paragraph 70 above shouldbe implemented in phases beginning with the development of national strategies or actionplans, policies and measures, and capacity-building, followed by the implementation of national policies and measures and national strategies or action plans that could involvefurther capacity-building, technology development and transfer and results-baseddemonstration activities, and evolving into results-based actions that should be fullymeasured, reported and verified;Nations do as much as they wish and get paid for74.

Recognizes

that the implementation of the activities referred to in paragraph 70 above,including the choice of a starting phase as referred to in paragraph 73 above, depends on thespecific national circumstances, capacities and capabilities of each developing country Partyand the level of support received;The SBSTA shall work out the Details of Activities, Reference Levels, Monitoring, Safeguardsand MRV75.

Requests

the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice to develop a work programme on the matters referred to in annex II to this decision;Overconsuming Countries shall pay for Phases 1 and 2 and Safeguards Implementation76.

Urges

Parties, in particular developed country Parties, to support, through multilateral andbilateral channels, the development of national strategies or action plans, policies andmeasures and capacity-building, followed by the implementation of national policiesand measures, and national strategies or action plans, that could involve further capacitybuilding, technology development and transfer and results-based demonstration activitiesincluding consideration of the safeguards referred to in paragraph 2 of annex I to thisdecision, taking into account the relevant provisions on finance including those relating toreporting on support;Financing of Phase 3 shall be decided at COP17 - the question: "Markets, yes or no?" is leftopen.