The role of Forests in Climate Change Mitigation: Deforestation and forest degradation is the second largest source of carbon dioxide emissions, after fossil fuels (IPCC, 2014). Estimates indicate that up to 20% of total net anthropogenic carbon emissions come from land use and land-use change, especially deforestation and forest degradation (Denman et al., 2007; Holly and Martin, 2007; Schrope, 2009). Most of this deforestation and forest degradation occurs in tropical developing countries (FAO, 2015; IPCC, 2014). Although the rate of global deforestation has slowed by 50% over the last five years, the world is still losing its forests at an annual rate of 7.6 million ha with adverse consequences for humanity, the climate and biodiversity (FAO, 2015). Thus, reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries (REDD+1) has been negotiated and adopted within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) as one of the strategies to mitigate climate change (UNFCCC, 2014a, b). Proponents argue that limiting global warming to under 1.5oC
cannot be achieved without REDD+ (Angelsen et al., 2009; IPCC, 2014). Experts assert that REDD+ provides a carbon-effective, cost-efficient, and equitable mechanism for reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation while improving local livelihoods and enh
ancing biodiversity conservation (IPCC, 2014; Metz et al., 2007; Santilli et al., 2005; Stern, 2007)
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