Larmour, Peter --- "Corruption in REDD+ Schemes: A Framework for Analysis" [2011] ELECD 995; in Graycar, Adam; Smith, G. Russell (eds), "Handbook of Global Research and Practice in Corruption" (Edward Elgar Publishing, 2011)

Book Title: Handbook of Global Research and Practice in Corruption

Editor(s): Graycar, Adam; Smith, G. Russell

Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing

ISBN (hard cover): 9781849805018

Section: Chapter 8

Section Title: Corruption in REDD+ Schemes: A Framework for Analysis

Author(s): Larmour, Peter

Number of pages: 13

Extract:

8 Corruption in REDD+ schemes: a
framework for analysis
Peter Larmour


REDD ­ reducing carbon emissions from deforestation and forest
degradation ­ promises to be a cheap and effective way of reducing the
amount of carbon in the atmosphere. First proposed by the governments of
PNG and Costa Rica in 2005, it has been gaining international favour, par-
ticularly after the Copenhagen Conference. REDD+ includes other meas-
ures to enhance forest carbon stocks. One REDD mechanism ­ payment
for Environment Services (PES) ­ envisages paying governments or land-
owners for not cutting down trees (Angelsen, 2009; Howes, 2009 for PNG).
The idea of REDD+ is simple to explain, but it also seems simple to
cheat. The international rules are still unclear and ­ being international
­ will be hard to enforce. Once in place, the complexity of REDD+ regula-
tions will create its own opportunities for corruption. Markets in carbon
credits already provide opportunities for speculation by `carbon cowboys'
(Filer, 2010). The huge flows of money envisaged are attractive to crimi-
nals. In any case, forestry has a poor track record for illegality, includ-
ing corruption. Some of the countries signing up for REDD have poor
reputations for corruption in government.
There is a small but growing literature on corruption risks in REDD
schemes, often starting from the experience of illegal logging (Tacconi et
al., 2009; Brown, 2010; Bofin et al., 2011). Transparency International's
upcoming Global Corruption Report will focus on climate change. This
chapter proposes a framework summarizing types of diagnoses and cures
for ...