Reducing emissions from tropical deforestation and forest degradation

Forests are an integral element of life on earth. Providing oxygen to breathe, watershed protection, erosion control, carbon storage, and opportunities for people to connect with nature. Science warns us that at the rate forests are being destroyed, humans will alter the planet so significantly, that many lives (human and other species) will be extirpated. Recognition of the true value of forests, for their carbon storage function, is driving global agreements and policies to promote emissions reductions from land use across all biomes, but particularly in the tropics. Sizable levels of financial support have been directed at reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation, in the scope of USD 1.1–2.7 billion per year. But is this enough? This level of investment is still dwarfed by income from timber, agriculture, mining and palm oil cultivation—key drivers of tropical forest loss. We describe opportunities for reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation, discuss risks in measuring emissions reductions and draw attention to key political, social and environmental challenges from a regional perspective of Southeast Asia; a region in the spotlight for the mass expansion of oil palm plantations and polluting wildfires.