The workshops focused on reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation, and the role of conservation, sustainable management of forests and enhancement of forest carbon stocks in developing countries (REDD+), aiming to increase understanding of the negotiations, as well as provide information on experiences in the forestry sector to lay the technical and policy foundations for bette [...] Standards that could influence how REDD+ safeguards are defined and measured include UN-REDD Programme's Social and Environmental Principles and Criteria, the World Bank Safeguards and Strategic Environmental and Social Assessment (SESA), REDD+ Social and Environmental Standards (REDD+ SES) and Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Principles and Criteria. [...] Striking this balance is what we refer to as the REDD+ Development Dividend, and accounting for this development dividend in the design of REDD+ processes and modalities will require consideration of: 1 Safeguards and Multiple Benefits in a REDD+ Mechanism Quality-supporting and promoting REDD+ safeguards, and generating multiple benefits, including sustainable development needs and goals Quan [...] The UN-REDD Programme is working to elaborate how the principle of FPIC should be applied to the activities of the Programme and in the context of readiness and REDD+ more broadly. [...] By providing a comprehensive framework of key issues to address with respect to the social and environmental performance of a REDD+ program, the standards provide guidance to assist with REDD+ design and also provide a mechanism for reporting on the social and environmental performance of REDD+ programs.

REDD+ is one of the leading near-term options for global climate change mitigation. More than 300 subnational REDD+ initiatives have been launched across the tropics, responding to both the call for demonstration activities in the Bali Action Plan and the market for voluntary carbon offset credits.

Biodiversity safeguards were introduced into the REDD+ mechanism to avoid potential harm to biodiversity. However, for REDD+ to truly contribute to biodiversity conservation, initiatives must go much further.