Significance of Reducing Emissions from Degradation and Deforestation (Redd): Evidence from Study in Terai Region of India

Abstract

Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD) has became a major issue in international climate change negotiations. REDD was first introduced by United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) at its 11th session of Conference of Parties (COP) held in Montreal, Canada in December 2005. However, till date a consensus on making REDD practicable and marketable mechanism has not been reached. There are differences between developing countries having rich tropical forest cover. There are issues associated with methodologies, monitoring, internal forest policy, indigenous rights etc. In the present paper efforts were made to demonstrate the significance of natural and existing forests in sequestering and storing carbon. The carbon sequestration and storage potential is much higher in natural forests compared with two plantations viz of Dalbergia sissoo and Terminalia arjuna. But enhancing land area under new forest cover can also be not refuted. Thus conserving natural forest coupled with adding new areas under forest through plantation should be the strategy for reversing and/or reducing global warming and climate change.