Beyond REDD: The Role of Forests in Climate Change: A Statement from The Forests Dialogue

The Forests Dialogue on Climate Change recognises that REDD and other climate change mitigation and adaptation measures will only achieve lasting results if they are adapted to conditions on the ground and help meet the needs of local people. By providing adaptability and supporting livelihoods, sustainable forest management offers an efficient win-win solution. It can ensure healthy and productive forests, underpin robust rural livelihoods, and deliver a wide range of products and ecosystem services that societies demand. It can also be an economically, environmentally, and socially effective way of addressing climate change globally.

However, forest-based climate change responses should be designed as a complement, rather than an alternative, to strategies for reducing fossil fuel emissions. A strong focus on forests
should diminish neither the need for clear emissions limits nor the climate change mitigation responsibilities of the Kyoto Protocol's Annex 1 countries.