REDD-PAC Project Launched at INPE

Hello reader!

It follows a note published on the day (05/24) in the website of the National Institute for Space Research (INPE) Stating that the PAC-REDD Project is launched at INPE.

Duda Falcão

REDD-PAC Launched at INPE

Thursday, May 24, 2012

The Brazil’s National Institute for Space Research (Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais – INPE) hosted the launch of REDD-PAC project (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation), an international partnership with IIASA (International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis), COMIFAC (Central African Forests Commission), UNEP-WCMC (United Nations Environment Programme – World Conservation Monitoring Centre) and IPEA  (Institute for Applied Economic Research).

The Project, supported by the international office of Global Land Project (GLP) and based at INPE, was launched during a workshop on May 22 to 24.

The REDD-PAC aims to develop technical know-how and capability in conceiving efficient and environmentally relevant REDD+ strategies (see below). In addition, the project will work as a global forum for sharing and improving global data on forests and deforestation factors, and develop methodologies for REDD + modeling reference, as well as spatial planning.

The Project will benefit from the existing experience of partner organizations. The IIASA will contribute with its global modeling ability. INPE and COMIFAC will help providing high-resolution data on Brazil and the Congo Basin countries, respectively. INPE will also contribute with additional space outcomes from its high-resolution deforestation models. The WCMC will provide expertise in biodiversity indicators.

The modeling part of the project will focus on tropical forests of Central Africa and Brazil. The analysis will be developed in three phases: the spatial description of deforestation factors, forest resources, carbon stocks, biodiversity and priority areas for conservation of the areas under study; quantitative description of a REDD+ set and biodiversity scenarios; impact assessment of each economic scenario, land use, emission reductions and other environmental indicators.

The workshop website is available under http://www.inpe.br/redd/index.php

Learn More About REDD

The concept of REDD (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) consists of including in the accounting of greenhouse gases emissions the ones avoided by deforestation and forest degradation reduction. According to this concept, developing countries with rainforests that could reduce deforestation would receive international financial offset corresponding to the emissions avoided. The concept of carbon offset became the basis of discussions on REDD.

REDD+

Nowadays the concept has been extended and is known as REDD+, which refers to the construction of a mechanism or police, which should include ways to provide positive incentives for developing countries that take one or more of the following actions to mitigate climate change:

1. Reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation;

2. Increase in forest carbon stocks;

3. Sustainable forest management;

4. Forest conservation.

Source: WebSite of the National Institute for Space Research (INPE)