It is Norway´s view that the increase in global mean temperature has to be limited to a maximum of 2 degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial level in order to achieve the ultimate objective of the UN Convention on Climate Change of preventing dangerous climate change.
Today emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries amount to about 17 % of the global greenhouse gas emissions. Achieving a 2 degree goal requires significant and long term reductions in emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD) in these countries. Efforts to reduce these emissions must be additional to and not replace efforts by developed countries to reduce their emissions.
In order to promote early action on REDD, Norway has launched a comprehensive Forest and Climate Initiative. In addition to achieving reduced emissions, the initiative will generate useful experiences to the negotiation process. The initiative was launched by Prime Minister Stoltenberg at the Bali summit in 2007, and has an annual budget of about 3 billion (more than 500 million USD).
In addition to emission reductions, a global REDD mechanism should promote sustainable forest management, contribute to the protection of biodiversity and secure the rights, involvement and livelihood of local communities and indigenous peoples. Besides reduced greenhouse gas emissions, REDD should also promote sustainable development and poverty reduction.
The main focus needs to be on deforestation and forest degradation due to the high rate of emissions from these activities. However, Norway supports a future REDD regime that also promotes incentives for conservation, stock enhancement and sustainable management of existing forests. Such a broad scope will reduce the risk of carbon leakage within countries.
A REDD regime should result in measurable, reportable and verifiable emission reductions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries.
There are large differences between countries with regard to capacity for monitoring and reporting, institutional arrangements and governance. A differentiated use of incentives and policy approaches between countries would therefore be necessary. A combination of market and fund based mechanisms will be the best way to respond to such differences.
Crediting of reduced emissions should only take place after reliable national systems for monitoring, reporting and verification have been established. To ensure credibility an independent verification system for reported emission reductions and defined reference levels should be established.
Reference levels for emissions should in principle be based on historical emission data. Other approaches could be considered where historical data does not fairly reflect the threat of increased emissions from forests.
The focus should be on national approaches in order to reduce the risk of carbon leakage within the country. International leakage will only be fully addressed through global participation.