Abstract
<p>This article analyzes the Reduction of Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) policy process, through the lens of state territorialization in the Lao People's Democratic Republic (Laos). It explores the motivations, mechanisms and strategies that drive REDD+ policy design and its implementation in the country. The provinces selected for REDD+ activities within the Emission Reduction (ER) Program, as well as the various REDD+ pilot projects are located in the north, where shifting cultivation is widespread, but where the potential for REDD+ to address deforestation and carbon sequestration is not optimal. The provinces with high carbon sequestration potential and high rates of deforestation are not part of the ER Program due to development investment projects and political sensitivity in those areas. REDD+ acts as a tool for state territorialization in a number of ways, including: (i) by targeting the areas where shifting cultivation is widely practiced, aiming to regulate village forest uses and users, (ii) by protecting state political, economic and development goals and strategies, by leaving the profitable large-scale drivers of deforestation unaddressed, including large-scale land investments, hydropower, infrastructure and mining development, and finally (iii) by providing additional motives, tools and discourses for state territorialization, including funding, technologies and the narratives that support it. I highlight, however, that REDD+ is not the sole reason for state territorial politics and practices. Rather, the instrument is layered over previous histories of colonial and post-colonial territorialization processes, continuing a similar logic, rhetoric and management practices. The REDD+ design and its technical orientation, however, appear to provide additional motives, as well as a new pool of resources, technical assistance and modern technologies that intensify the practice and politics of state territoriality in Laos.</p><p><strong>Keywords: </strong>Laos, REDD+, state territorialization,<strong> </strong>forest politics, drivers of deforestation</p>
Highlights
The results uniformly suggest that the private sector actors have already ensured their legal hold on the land and resources, and that there is no ground for negotiating any competing schemes, such as REDD+, in those areas
This is well captured by a respondent from a development partner organization, when they described negotiations with the Department of Forestry (DoF) concerning the locations of the Emission Reduction (ER) Program provinces, and locations of their own REDD+ pilot project: When in the beginning we discussed about the early idea for the Carbon Fund, that's what I told you; we proposed based on the REDD principles – where there are the highest carbon stocks, and where deforestation is at the highest
In this article I have analyzed REDD+ as an instrument facilitating the state territorialization project in Lao People's Democratic Republic (Laos)
Summary
Since its initial formulation as an efficient, effective and equitable way to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (Angelsen 2008; Angelsen et al 2009; Stern 2007), REDD+ has been framed in various ways, including REDD+ as:. The requirements of REDD+ for technical detail (Myers et al 2018) and strict rule of law represent additional tools for the state to reach out and strengthen the control over more remote villages and forest lands, and the dwellers and users of these lands and forests Some of those rural dwellers are ethnic minorities, with traditional and informal practices and rules in place (Katz 2010; Lund 2011; Moore et al 2013; UNDP 2011a,b). Institutional and policy adjustments require a substantial amount of time for consultations and sectoral coordination, but this was not available due to the WB FCPF deadline for developing the ER-PD This resulted in frustration among actors from the private sector and civil society groups, who felt excluded from the process. The ER-PD and the national REDD+ strategy propose reduction of GHG emissions from the forest sector in six selected provinces, all situated in the northern part of the country, namely Houaphan, Luang Prabang, Sayabouri, Luang Namtha, Bokeo and Oudomxay
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