Impacts of REDD+ payments on a coupled human-natural system in Amazonia

T.A.P. West; K.A. Grogan; M.E. Swisher; J.L. Caviglia-Harris; E.O. Sills; D.A. Roberts; D. Harris; F.E. Putz

doi:10.1016/j.ecoser.2018.08.008

Impacts of REDD+ payments on a coupled human-natural system in Amazonia

T.A.P. West, K.A. Grogan, M.E. Swisher, J.L. Caviglia-Harris, E.O. Sills, D.A. Roberts, D. Harris, F.E. Putz

Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

© 2018 Elsevier B.V.We used a hybrid optimization-agent-based model to simulate REDD+ (Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation in combination with conservation, sustainable forest management, and enhancement of forest carbon stocks) payment scenarios to farm households in the old deforestation frontier of Rondônia, Brazil. Payments varied from $5 to $30 per ton of net CO2 either not emitted or removed from the atmosphere relative to a baseline scenario. The impacts of REDD+ were assessed as changes in land use/cover, net CO2 emissions, program costs, community welfare, and agricultural production. Our results suggest that interventions aimed at zero gross deforestation would require unrealistically large annual disbursements. In contrast, zero net carbon emissions can be achieved at approximately two-thirds the cost with reduced impacts on food production. Overall, simulated payments increased inequality among households, which conflicts with desired REDD+ outcomes. Results suggest that REDD+ might be more successful solely as a climate change mitigation mechanism as opposed to a complex multi-objective development program.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	68-76
Journal	Ecosystem Services
Volume	33
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoser.2018.08.008
Publication status	Published - 1 Oct 2018
Externally published	Yes

Funding

This research was funded in part by the National Science Foundation (grant SES-0752936 ). Additional funds to the first author were provided by the Brazilian National Counsel of Technological and Scientific Development ( CNPq ; grant 201138/2012-3 ), a William C. and Bertha M. Cornett Fellowship, a Tropical Conservation and Development Graduate Assistantship at the University of Florida , and the WWF Prince Bernhard Scholarship for Nature Conservation. This research was funded in part by the National Science Foundation (grant SES-0752936). Additional funds to the first author were provided by the Brazilian National Counsel of Technological and Scientific Development (CNPq; grant 201138/2012-3), a William C. and Bertha M. Cornett Fellowship, a Tropical Conservation and Development Graduate Assistantship at the University of Florida, and the WWF Prince Bernhard Scholarship for Nature Conservation.

Funders	Funder number
WWF Prince Bernhard Scholarship for Nature Conservation
National Science Foundation	SES-0752936
University of Florida
Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico	201138/2012-3

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title = "Impacts of REDD+ payments on a coupled human-natural system in Amazonia",

abstract = "{\textcopyright} 2018 Elsevier B.V.We used a hybrid optimization-agent-based model to simulate REDD+ (Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation in combination with conservation, sustainable forest management, and enhancement of forest carbon stocks) payment scenarios to farm households in the old deforestation frontier of Rond{\^o}nia, Brazil. Payments varied from $5 to $30 per ton of net CO2 either not emitted or removed from the atmosphere relative to a baseline scenario. The impacts of REDD+ were assessed as changes in land use/cover, net CO2 emissions, program costs, community welfare, and agricultural production. Our results suggest that interventions aimed at zero gross deforestation would require unrealistically large annual disbursements. In contrast, zero net carbon emissions can be achieved at approximately two-thirds the cost with reduced impacts on food production. Overall, simulated payments increased inequality among households, which conflicts with desired REDD+ outcomes. Results suggest that REDD+ might be more successful solely as a climate change mitigation mechanism as opposed to a complex multi-objective development program.",

author = "T.A.P. West and K.A. Grogan and M.E. Swisher and J.L. Caviglia-Harris and E.O. Sills and D.A. Roberts and D. Harris and F.E. Putz",

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doi = "10.1016/j.ecoser.2018.08.008",

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AU - West, T.A.P.

AU - Grogan, K.A.

AU - Swisher, M.E.

AU - Caviglia-Harris, J.L.

AU - Sills, E.O.

AU - Roberts, D.A.

AU - Harris, D.

AU - Putz, F.E.

PY - 2018/10/1

Y1 - 2018/10/1

N2 - © 2018 Elsevier B.V.We used a hybrid optimization-agent-based model to simulate REDD+ (Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation in combination with conservation, sustainable forest management, and enhancement of forest carbon stocks) payment scenarios to farm households in the old deforestation frontier of Rondônia, Brazil. Payments varied from $5 to $30 per ton of net CO2 either not emitted or removed from the atmosphere relative to a baseline scenario. The impacts of REDD+ were assessed as changes in land use/cover, net CO2 emissions, program costs, community welfare, and agricultural production. Our results suggest that interventions aimed at zero gross deforestation would require unrealistically large annual disbursements. In contrast, zero net carbon emissions can be achieved at approximately two-thirds the cost with reduced impacts on food production. Overall, simulated payments increased inequality among households, which conflicts with desired REDD+ outcomes. Results suggest that REDD+ might be more successful solely as a climate change mitigation mechanism as opposed to a complex multi-objective development program.

AB - © 2018 Elsevier B.V.We used a hybrid optimization-agent-based model to simulate REDD+ (Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation in combination with conservation, sustainable forest management, and enhancement of forest carbon stocks) payment scenarios to farm households in the old deforestation frontier of Rondônia, Brazil. Payments varied from $5 to $30 per ton of net CO2 either not emitted or removed from the atmosphere relative to a baseline scenario. The impacts of REDD+ were assessed as changes in land use/cover, net CO2 emissions, program costs, community welfare, and agricultural production. Our results suggest that interventions aimed at zero gross deforestation would require unrealistically large annual disbursements. In contrast, zero net carbon emissions can be achieved at approximately two-thirds the cost with reduced impacts on food production. Overall, simulated payments increased inequality among households, which conflicts with desired REDD+ outcomes. Results suggest that REDD+ might be more successful solely as a climate change mitigation mechanism as opposed to a complex multi-objective development program.

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JO - Ecosystem Services

JF - Ecosystem Services

ER -

Impacts of REDD+ payments on a coupled human-natural system in Amazonia

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