Geography of REDD+ at Multiple Scales: Country Participation and Project Location

Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation (REDD+) has gained momentum as a climate mitigation strategy that can be implemented at multiple scales. Internationally, REDD+ readiness funds distributed by multilateral organizations facilitate capacity building in developing countries. Sub-nationally, REDD+ projects that aim to capture carbon funding are implemented throughout tropical countries. In the first essay, I analyze allocation patterns of REDD+ readiness funds from UN-REDD, World Bank Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF) and Forest Investment Program (FIP). The results show that donor interests have a larger impact on the allocation patterns than recipient needs. In the second essay, I examine determinants of sub-national REDD+ project site-selection in Brazil, Indonesia and Tanzania. The results suggest REDD+ projects tend to be located in areas with high biodiversity, high carbon potential, and high risk of deforestation. In the third essay, a spatial targeting approach for optimal REDD+ project landscape is demonstrated using Tanzania as an example. This approach allows decision-makers prioritize preferences for various site-selection criteria and make informed decisions about REDD+ projects locations.