REDD+ policy networks in Indonesia

Summary

The Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) has released a brief that outlines CIFOR's perspective on the state of REDD+ policy networks in Indonesia, noting that REDD+ has successfully been adopted and promoted in Indonesia, with the intention of improving forest governance.

However, CIFOR notes that while REDD+ efforts in the region included promises to be participatory and inclusive, the efforts have not, in practice, met this goal. The brief discusses collaboration and information exchange relationships among REDD+ actors.

CIFOR conducted a study to assess both the actors involved in the REDD+ policy process and the interconnections among these actors. This work, described in the brief, found that the REDD+ policy process has not lived up to the promise of increased participation and inclusiveness. According to the brief, existing collaboration and information exchange is happening primarily within clusters of types of organizations, such as NGO, government, or agency.

The brief underscores that the arena of REDD+ policy is diverse, but while actors agree on objectives of REDD+, they often disagree on funding mechanisms and implementation. The document suggests that some agencies are perceived as most influential, particularly government agencies with a mandate to administer REDD+, and the Ministry of Forestry in particular. CIFOR expresses, in a related blog post, that some of the same environmental issues that were of concern when REDD+ was first adopted and promoted in Indonesia linger on.