Governance, forests and REDD+ in Latin America

The first section of this brief examines the relationship between objectives, policies and central government entities overseeing the environment and forest conservation on the one hand, and other sectors affecting forests, on the other. In the context of REDD+, this relationship will determine whether and how to shift development patterns to address drivers of deforestation and achieve forest conservation objectives. The second section discusses forestry sector agencies specifically and their ability to ensure the rule of law. The capacity of these agencies and their ability to enforce the law are critical for REDD+. The third section addresses the distribution of powers across scales. In the context of REDD+, this is also a debate about the distribution of benefits.