Presentation by Phil Franks and Andrea Quesada at the Global Landscapes Forum 2015, in Paris, France alongside COP21. For more information go to: www.landscapes.org.

1. 3-dimensional equity framework: Forest Rights,
Participation, REDD+ Benefit Sharing, and more
Phil Franks
Andrea Quesada

2. The Big Picture:
Equity is a diverse landscape
Land Tenure Benefit Sharing
Participation
Stakeholders
Access to justice
Social Benefits
Access to information
Respect and protection of rights

3. How to understand to diverse
landscape of equity

4. 3 Dimension Framework
RECOGNITION
PROCEDURE DISTRIBUTION
CONTEXT

5. RECOGNITION
DISTRIBUTION
DISTRIBUTION
• Benefits equally
• Benefits according to
contribution to mitigation
• Benefits according to
rights
• Benefits to reflect costs
• Benefits according to
basic needs
RECOGNITION
DISTRIBUTION
PROCEDURE
• Effective participation
• Access to information &
capacity building
• Access to justice
3 Dimension Framework:
Principles
PROCEDURE DISTRIBUTION
RECOGNITION
• Recognition &
respect of rights
• Respect for knowledge
and institutions

6. 3 Dimension Framework
in the real world

7. Action Research
HOW
Identified how the 3 dimensions of equity are reflected in:
• International Policies and Mandates
• National Policies and Strategies
• Perceptions of diverse stakeholders
• Implementation of REDD+ activities
WHERE: Yucatan, Mexico (2014)
San Martin & Lima, Peru (2015)
QUESTIONS ASKED:
a) What does equity mean and how does it relate to REDD+?
b) How is equity addressed in REDD+ processes?
c) How can equity be strengthen in REDD+ processes nationally and
regionally?

8. International Policies and Mandates
Human rights law relevant to REDD+: equity principles
mainstreamed throughout
CBD: explicitly includes equity as a core principle of the
convention and in a number of decisions
e.g. Addis Ababa Principles, Programme of Work on PAs
UNFCCC, although the words equity and equitable are not
mentioned in decisions related to REDD+, these have
incorporated equity principles since COP 13
e.g. COP 15 recognizes need for full engagement of IPs and
LCs in MRV

9. D
R
R P
D
R
P
P
P
P
P
International Policies and Mandates
Decision Equity Dimension
Decision CP
2/CP.13
Focuses on the importance of providing access to information
and capacity building
Mentions the importance promoting co-benefits and
recognizing that the needs of local and indigenous communities
Decision 4/CP.15 Recognizes the need for a full and effective engagement of IPs
and LCs in, and the potential contribution of their knowledge to
MRV
Encourages the development of guidance for their effective
engagement in MRV
Decision 1/CP.16
para 72
Strong focus on the recognition and respect of rights and on
effective participation
Decision 1/CP.16
Para 73 & 76 Mandates on capacity building
Decision 2/CP.17
Recognizes that policy approaches and positive incentives
associated to REDD+ can promote poverty alleviation
SIS should provide transparent and consistent information that
is accessible by all relevant stakeholders
Decision 11/CP.19
Decision 14/CP.19
Consistent with the methodological guidance provided in
decision 4/CP.15

10. When undertaking REDD+ activities, the following safeguards should be
promoted and supported:
(a) Complement or consistent with the objectives of national forest
programmes and relevant international conventions and agreements
(b) Transparent and effective national forest governance structures
(c) Respect for the knowledge and rights of indigenous peoples and
members of local communities
(d) Full and effective participation of relevant stakeholders
(e) Consistent with the conservation of natural forests and biological
diversity
●
not used for conversion of natural forests
●
protection and conservation of natural forests and their ecosystem
services,
●
enhance other social and environmental benefits
(f) Address the risks of reversals
(g) Reduce displacement of emissions
Cancun safeguards from an equity perspective
Recognition
Procedure
Distributio
n

11. • Address equity in national policies and in their REDD+
related strategies
• Include equity as an overarching principle in national
environmental laws and strategies
• Recognise more specific principles such as
participation, access to information and capacity
building, recognition of land tenure rights and
recognition and respect of indigenous peoples’ rights.
National Policies and Strategies in Mexico
and Peru

12. Equity Perceptions
in Mexico and Peru
• Definitions of equity are complex and multidimensional
• Perceptions of what is equitable vary depending of the
stakeholders and the initiatives.
• Equity as a concept is associated with justice,
wellbeing/adequate social conditions and addressing
inequalities
• In Peru, equity discussions focused on happiness and in
Mexico they focus on achieving an inclusive society with
social cohesion and substantive equality

13. Implementation of REDD+ activities

14. Equity in
Recognition
Recognition of key
right-holders and
stakeholders
Equity in
Procedure
Participation in
decision-making
on benefit
sharing
Equity in
Distribution
Benefits equitably
shared
Equitable REDD+ benefit-sharing
REDD+ benefit sharing – what looks equitable may not be
Policy recognises
rights-holders but
not other forest
stakeholders on
whom effective
REDD+ depends
Policy recognises
rights-holders +
stakeholders but
there is elite
capture in
decision-making
Good governance
but social norms
prevent equitable
strategies being
implemented
Equitable sharing
of benefits but
overall benefit
reduced by high
transaction costs
of participatory
processes
Policy recognises
rights-holders +
stakeholders but
policy is not
implemented

15. Lessons Learned
• REDD+ policies and strategies should recognise all three dimensions
of equity — recognition, procedure benefit/cost distribution — as
crucial and interdependent.
• Secure land/forest tenure is always highly desirable but where this is
not possible in the foreseeable future equitable outcomes may still
be achieved.
• REDD+ initiatives should consider all rights-holders and stakeholders
who have a role in ensuring success, including stakeholders without
formal tenure rights
• Women’s and youth’s interests and rights should be integral to
REDD+, not an add-on or separate agenda

16. How to address equity

17. Ten building blocks for equitable REDD+
Recognising stakeholder groups, and their characteristics
Recognising and protecting stakeholders’ rights
Recognising which REDD+ activities have positive or negative social impacts
Ensuring effective participation, access info/CB & involvement decision-making
Sharing information in gender and culturally appropriate communication strategy
Considering principles/criteria to balance rights, contributions, and needs
Proposing actions to include marginalised groups, & ensure benefit control
Designing & implementing community monitoring
Designing and implementing accountability mechanisms
Ensuring people affected by the scheme have access to grievance mechanism

18. MUCHAS GRACIAS!!!