Interested in Carbon Rights discussions? Join REDD-net in Cancun on December 4, 2010

REDD-net is organising a side event at the UNFCCC COP16 in Cancun on Carbon rights in REDD+: towards a common understanding. This will be on Saturday December 4, 2010 in Room 3

This event will look at what can constitute carbon rights in REDD+, and their implications for different actors, particularly at the local level. Insights from different countries and perspectives will be presented, along with recent work by the REDD-net civil society support programme . Be there if you are in Cancun for the UNFCCC COP16!

Brief background

A unique feature of REDD+ is that it may result in newly defined rights, such as the right to exploit the benefits of reduced carbon emissions and carbon storage, which could be associated with rights for international payments through funds or carbon markets.The potential to benefit from payments for carbon in this way raises new legal issues in countries developing REDD+. For example, when examining who 'owns' the carbon, or in market based approaches to REDD+, definitions of a carbon credit may vary between countries. Existing natural resource laws, the effectiveness of legal systems, and the definition (or lack of definition) of rights to carbon in REDD+ will all influence who is likely to benefit. Given the complexities of land and forest tenure in many countries, and particularly the overlaps between formal and informal legal systems, the way in which carbon rights are interpreted has important implications for many different stakeholders involved in REDD+.

During 2010 REDD-net has been looking at the issue of carbon rights at the international and national levels. Some of our resources on the issue are highlighted below and will be followed shortly by further case studies of Brazil, Ethiopia, Ghana, Indonesia, Mexico and New Zealand, as well as a technical paper on carbon rights. In the meantime we have highlighted useful resources on carbon rights in REDD+.