Redeeming REDD: Policies, Incentives and Social Feasibility for Avoided Deforestation

"Michael Brown recognizes that there can be no environmentalism without representation – especially local representation. If there is salvation for REDD, this book may be looked upon as the benediction that brought it around. By presenting the case for social protections in accessible language, Brown gives REDD a redeeming chance." – Jesse Ribot, Professor of Geography, University of Illinois, USA "Recent years have seen the emergence of REDD and its variants which have provided great hope in avoiding deforestation, coupled with combined livelihood and biodiversity benefits. It has become a pervasive and persuasive paradigm, beguiling policy-makers, academics and practitioners alike. Despite the international attention on REDD, it seems to have been accepted with very little critical analysis. In this book, Michael Brown challenges the very essence of REDD and REDD+, particularly from the social and institutional perspectives. His analysis is detailed, revealing, and timely; asking many questions of the REDD mechanism that have thus far been largely, and perhaps conveniently, ignored. This book should guide the real policies behind REDD and how local communities and indigenous people engage in its possible implementation. It is a welcome counter to the largely positive and unquestioning way in which REDD has entered our collective consciousness." – Terry Sunderland, Principal Scientist, Forests and Livelihoods Programme, Center for International Forestry Research, Bogor, Indonesia "... Brown is passionate about what he sees as the solutions to encourage a socially responsible reduction in deforestation, and indeed he makes good sense." - Peter Thomas, Bulletin of the British Ecological Society "The Redeeming REDD volume is written by an author who is extremely well informed on the subject, because Michael Brown has been involved in REDD issues since its beginning, and because he has reviewed a remarkable amount of references on the subject. This is reflected in the many details that are covered in the 11 chapters of the book." – Wil de Jong, Center for Integrated Area Studies, Kyoto University