Distributing REDD+ Benefits Among Indigenous and Rural Citizens in the Peruvian and Brazilian Amazons

The Brazilian and Peruvian Amazon Rainforests host some of the most biodiverse habitats in the world which hold present and future monetary and intrinsic value to local and international communities. However, they are threatened by high rates of deforestation. The REDD+ Program by the UN provides compensation for the preservation of developing countries’ forest stocks. While beneficial, many rural and indigenous citizens are negatively affected by REDD+ due to job loss tied to deforestation reduction and tenure issues. This can lead to illegal, increased deforestation rates. The REDD+ payment allocations are regulated through a system of seven “Safeguards”, essentially policies. While a few current Safeguards address rural and indigenous people, the Safeguards are relatively ambiguous and may not be effective when implemented in a developing economy with possible political corruption. By improving the current Safeguards and more heavily monitoring payment distribution, REDD+ can be more effective. Two alternatives to consider are implications with indigenous and rural land tenures and potential financial gains from cultural Intellectual Property rights.