Benefit-sharing mechanisms: Barking up the wrong tree?

As the quest to protect and restore forests advances and evolves, the age-old question of “who gets what?” seems as pertinent – and complex – as ever.

In recent years, a range of benefit-sharing mechanisms (BSMs) has emerged under REDD+ – a UN-backed program to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation and promote restoration – most of which seek to incentivize communities to change their forest management practices in the forests.

“This is not quite as simple as it sounds, however, as communities’ use and management of forests are often not just about economics,” says Grace Wong, former Senior Scientist at the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) and current researcher and project lead at the Stockholm Resilience Centre.

Using case studies from Vietnam and Cameroon, Wong co-authored a study published last year, offering a framework for examining how various factors combine to favor or hinder the implementation of policies for sharing benefits from programs like REDD+. Read the full story on Forests News.