The IPCC estimate of emissions from tropical deforestation in the 1990s was 1.6 billion tonnes of carbon per year equating to  20% of global carbon emissions. To create a mechanism that addresses this problem, many differing proposals to reduce emissions from deforestation and degradation (REDD) have been put forward to the UNFCCC, which has resulted in some confusion. This non-partisan guide to the proposals is intended to accelerate understanding.

The Little REDD Book has been compiled by the GCP with the support of a wide range of contributors from around the world including many proposal authors. The Prince’s Rainforests Project has kindly provided its analysis of the proposals, which is at the heart of this guide. It shows how they have developed over time, either directly or indirectly building on what has come before. Most importantly, it demonstrates how much common ground there is between proposals - that for every point of difference there are many points of agreement, and that a menu of commonly held principles and approaches is emerging.

Agreement on REDD is within reach. The spread of new technologies such as satellite monitoring is overcoming some long-standing technical barriers. Collaboration by scientists, economists and policy makers at the UNFCCC, IPCC and other forums, is helping to clarify outstanding methodological issues. Money for capacity building and pilot projects has started to flow. The imperative now is for the international community to continue working collaboratively and with renewed urgency towards achieving political consensus at Copenhagen. It is our hope that this publication – and its online counterpart www.theREDDdesk.org – can help build understanding as the countdown to COP 15 begins in earnest.