| ID | 149601 |
| Title Proper | REDD+ on hold |
| Other Title Information | lessons from an emerging institutional setup in Laos |
| Language | ENG |
| Author | Mertz, Ole ; Thongmanivong, Sithong ; Vongvisouk, Thoumthone ; Lestrelin, Guillaume |
| Summary / Abstract (Note) | The prospects of receiving funding for REDD+ have set many developing countries on a pathway of policy reforms to integrate REDD+ in national legislation. Progress has been slow partly due to the lengthy international negotiations on REDD+ but also because the policy reforms have not been backed by sufficient commitment to make REDD+ implementation feasible. To contribute to a better understanding of why policy and institutional reforms have not been successful in taking REDD+ implementation further, we analyse the institutional landscape of the forestry and environmental sectors in Laos as a case in point. We interviewed stakeholders from national to village levels and found that REDD+ has been effectively on hold in Laos. This is because of recent institutional transformations, rapid staff turnover and limited implementation capacity of government agencies at the national and sub-national levels all of which have led to a heavy reliance on international support and external consultants. The result is that Laos may not be ready to benefit from the international agreement on REDD+. The situation in Laos provides a compelling example of how difficult REDD+ implementation has proven to be in countries where institution building is still in process. |
| `In' analytical Note | Asia Pacific Viewpoint Vol. 57, No.3; Dec 2016: p.393–405 |
| Journal Source | Asia Pacific Viewpoint 2016-12 57, 3 |
| Key Words | Southeast Asia ; Laos ; Capacity ; REDD+ ; Forest Carbon Governance |