In India, reiterating India’s commitment to the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Dr. Harsh Vardhan emphasized that the cooperation and involvement of the tribals, other forest dwelling people and the society as a whole, are crucial for the implementation of the REDD+ strategy. The Minister stated that the well-being of our forests is essential for a healthy living environment in the country and that REDD+ activities will help in sustainable livelihood of local communities and also in conservation of biodiversity.
In simple terms, REDD+ means “Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation”, conservation of forest carbon stocks, sustainable management of forests, and enhancement of forest carbon stocks in developing countries. REDD+ aims to achieve climate change mitigation by incentivizing forest conservation.
The National REDD+ Strategy builds upon existing national circumstances and updated in line with India’s National Action Plan on Climate Change.