Despite widespread acknowledgment of the forest sector’s potential as an immediate and cost-effective means for reducing global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, forest carbon comprises only a fraction of the global carbon market—less than 1% in 2008. Given that deforestation and forest degradation account for some 15% to 20% of global GHG emissions—higher than the entire transportation sector—and that a policy of limiting the rise in global temperature to no more than 2° C entails global net reductions on the order of 80% by mid-century, including incentives for the forest sector in climate policy is considered essential by many observers. The Nicholas Institute, in partnership with the WWF and Harvard Law School’s Program in International Financial Systems has established an annual Forest Carbon Finance Summit (FCFS). The purpose of the FCFS is to convene leaders in finance, law, business, and NGOs to explore in depth a number of critical topics: the technical, methodological, and political barriers to forest carbon projects, particularly those involving reduced emissions from deforestation and degradation (REDD); and the ways in which private and public capital may be best mobilized to support reductions in forest sector emissions globally.