Forests and Climate: Economics and Policy Issues

By Anne-Marie Codur, Jonathan M. Harris and Maliheh Birjandi Feriz

Deforestation and degradation of forests and wetlands is a major contributor to climate change. At the same time, forests and other ecosystems have immense capacity to store carbon and to contribute to balancing global cycles of carbon dioxide, methane and other greenhouse gases. Policies to reduce emissions and store carbon under REDD+ (Reduction of Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation) have attempted to take advantage of this potential for forests to mitigate global climate change. But institutions to promote forest preservation and effective reforestation are often lacking.

This module analyzes the causes of deforestation and degradation, both in the Global North and South, as well as the potential for reversing these trends to achieve protection and expansion of forests and wetlands. It discusses national and international policies, including country case studies, and includes a section on the impacts of biomass production on deforestation.

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Download PowerPoint file with Figures and Tables
Download Spanish Translation of older 2011 module