Responding to Concerns and Questions

Efforts to include emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in climate policy have gained considerable traction in recent years in the United States and abroad. With mounting evidence that atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations cannot be stabilized at a prudent level without addressing emissions from the forest sector, policy makers are actively seeking ways to integrate international forest carbon into existing and emerging greenhouse gas compliance regimes. This brief addresses common criticisms and outstanding questions regarding the inclusion of forest carbon in climate policy.