REDD+ and Forest Conservation: Tackling Climate Change

REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation) is the UN-backed framework that pays developing countries to keep forests standing — turning carbon stored in trees into a financial asset worth more alive than logged. It is one of the main mechanisms behind verified forest-conservation carbon credits.

How REDD+ works

• Measure the forest. A country or project quantifies the carbon stored and the deforestation it prevents.
• Verify independently. Standards like Verra audit the claims and issue credits for emissions avoided.
• Fund conservation. Credit revenue pays for rangers, communities and alternative livelihoods that keep forests intact.
• The "+" adds conservation, sustainable management and enhancement of carbon stocks.

Why it matters — and its limits

Deforestation drives roughly a tenth of global emissions; stopping it is among the cheapest large-scale climate wins. REDD+'s credibility depends on rigorous baselines and monitoring, which is why verification standards and satellite data matter so much — and why buyers should choose certified credits only.

Conservation plus restoration

Protecting standing forests (REDD+) and planting new ones are complementary. Evertreen supports both sides: Verra-certified offsets including forest-conservation projects, plus geolocated tree planting you can track project by project.

Frequently asked questions

What does REDD+ stand for? Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation, plus conservation, sustainable management and enhancement of forest carbon stocks.

How does REDD+ generate carbon credits? By proving deforestation was avoided versus a verified baseline; each tonne of avoided CO₂ can be issued as a credit under standards like Verra.

Is protecting forests better than planting trees? Both are needed: conservation keeps existing carbon locked in; reforestation rebuilds capacity for the future.