U.S. Government Funding for Forests in Developing Countries and the New REDD+ Landscape

Author(s): Kathleen Lawlor and Lydia Olander

Published: October 2009

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The U.S. has long been involved in tropical forest conservation, through both bilateral and multilateral initiatives. The U.S. Congress is currently considering climate legislation that would establish programs to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation and conserve and restore forests in developing countries (aka ‘REDD’ or ‘REDD+’). If adopted, these programs would dramatically increase U.S. government assistance for tropical forest conservation and sustainable development. Climate legislation currently under debate would increase U.S. bilateral funding for forests in developing countries by an estimated $18–$25 billion per year, raising it to unprecedented levels. This memo provides an overview of current U.S. funding levels for forests in developing countries and potential increases in these levels due to new climate policies. These numbers are put in the context of overall global finance for forests in developing countries and other emerging REDD+ initiatives. The roles of the various U.S. agencies that would be involved in administering the proposed U.S. REDD+ program—as outlined in current draft legislation—are also discussed.