Paying communities to preserve and manage their local forest resources using the internationally recognized REDD+ approach can be a practical and effective way to combat climate change. A ‘before-and-after’ and ‘with-and-without’ evaluation of a pilot program in Nepal indicates that REDD+ can contribute to carbon sequestration and improve forest management without hurting local livelihoods. Thus, policy makers should begin the process of scaling up REDD+ with a strong emphasis on supporting communities to shift to bio-gas as an alternative to fuelwood.
