Jamaica Working Towards Structure For REDD+ By February 2022

• The Ministry of Housing, Urban Renewal, Environment and Climate Change is currently working towards ensuring that Jamaica can begin to benefit from incentives under the Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) programme by early next year. 
• REDD+ was created by the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to incentivize developing countries to reduce or remove forest carbon emissions by awarding them carbon credits, which can be sold in carbon markets. 
• Principal Director of the Climate Change Division in the Ministry, UnaMay Gordon, has said that they are hopeful that by February 2022, they will have a structure for REDD+ in Jamaica. A complementary proposal has been put forward to the Green Climate Fund for some additional funding to advance further on the work being done. 
• The preparatory work includes collaboration with other areas of Government such as the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport on matters such as utilizing forest reserves that are a part of Jamaica’s cultural heritage or are located in Maroon communities, for example. After successful implementation of the framework for REDD+, Jamaica will qualify to earn from reducing emissions and removing carbon from the air through forest carbon sinks.

(Source: JIS News)