This paper looks at the political economy of carbon forestry and REDD+ in Mozambique in view of goals for climate compatible development, i.e. simultaneously addressing emission reduction, adaptation and development.
Mozambique is one of the world’s poorest countries and one of the most at risk from the effects of climate change. At the same time, the country has considerable forest resources and is well placed to take advantage of future public or private funding for carbon forestry and REDD+.
The paper asks how debates and decisions on REDD+ in Mozambique may shape outcomes for different groups. Using a political economy framework, the paper considers actor perspectives, interests and interrelations in the broader institutional and political context in order to analyse and the prospects for carbon forestry and REDD+ to contribute climate compatible development in Mozambique. REDD+ debates in Mozambique are coloured by international as well as domestic debates over land and forest governance, and remain somewhat divisive.
Perhaps surprisingly, REDD+ is relatively marginal in the broader climate change and development debates in the country. It is as yet unclear what REDD+ will look like in practice, and most of actors’ perspectives – whether in favour or opposed to REDD+ and carbon forestry – are based on expectations of what might be, and on perceptions of the purpose of carbon forestry, rather than actual experience.
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