Reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation and role of conservation, sustainable management of forests, and enhancement of forests carbon stocks collectively known as REDD+ is one of the most ambitious land use based programmes under UNFCCC for climate change mitigation. REDD+ intends to provide financial incentives to the communities for their role in conservation and enhancement for forest carbon stocks. A well designed REDD+ has a great potential to provide livelihood benefits to the forest dwelling communities. REDD+ actions become more relevant in case of Uttarakhand where there is a strong involvement of communities in managing their forest resources in the form of Van Panchayats. With this pretext, it was felt to undertake a scoping study for REDD+ in the Kailash Sacred Landscape in India which is predominantly located in the districts of Pithoragarh and Bageshwar in Uttarakhand.
Under ICFRE-ICIMOD programme on ‘REDD+ Himalayas: Developing and using experience in implementing REDD+ in the Himalayas’, ICFRE has conducted this REDD+ scoping study for Kailash Sacred Landscape in India. It is hoped that the findings of this report will pave a way for a successful REDD+ Project in the Kailash Scared Landscape in India. In this study, a detailed literature review, analysis of relevant policies, stakeholders consultations, meetings with institutions in the Himalayan region was carried out to explore the possibility of developing a REDD+ project in this part of the country.
