REDD Working Papers: REDD and sustainable development – perspective from Uganda

Poverty and sustainable development impacts of REDD architecture is a multi-country project led by the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED, UK) and the University of Life Sciences (Aas, Norway).

In the first phase of the project, exploratory studies of different aspects of the design of REDD mechanisms were conducted to lay the foundation for the work in Phase 2. These Working Papers are designed to share the preliminary findings of research undertaken during the first phase of this project. They have not been subject to a full peer review process and are being made available online to stimulate discussion and feedback.

This report considers the viability of REDD options in the Ugandan context. A broad analysis at national level is made of the drivers of deforestation and forest degradation and historical trends in forest cover, land use change and biomass density.

This is followed by examination of the Mabira Central Forest Reserve (CFR), which has previously been highlighted as a potential pilot site for REDD in Uganda.

This report considers biological composition, legal status, and historical uses and management of the Mabira CFR, with a view to establishing the opportunity costs of REDD, the opportunities for sustainable forest management and the estimated avoided emissions from maintaining the forest rather than converting it to alternative activities.