Table 1 Main elements of different proposals for approaches to reduced deforestation and degradation (based on [58, 59]).
| Element | Examples of variation in implementation |
|---|---|
| Definition of forests, deforestation and degradation |
National definitions Technically detailed versus general (e.g. three classes: forest, degraded forest, non-forest as proposed by Joint Research Centre) Marrakech accords (UNFCCC 2002): 0.05–1 ha minimum area, 10–30% tree canopy cover and a potential of 2–5 m tree height; used by Annex I country Kyoto reporting and CDM projects Others see Mollicone et al. [16] (intact forest, non-intact forest, non-forest) Deforestation versus deforestation and degradation |
| Scale | National versus projects |
| Minimum Mapping Unit | National, sectoral |
| Target area | Sub-national |
| Projects | |
| Definition of MMU | |
| Reference level, baseline | National historical averages with a correction for countries which have already significantly reduced deforestation; compared to reference (e.g. 1990 or 2000) |
| Data for baseline | |
| Baseline development | |
| Global average deforestation rate, countries with less than half the global average will be credited for not increasing deforestation, geographical | |
| Sophisticated prognostic model of land competition | |
| Carbon model | Simple, national average carbon stock versus sophisticated assessment |
| Inventory versus IPCC default values | |
| Simple, national average carbon stock for both | |
| intact and | |
| non-intact (degraded) forest | |
| Detailed carbon maps based on RS | |
| Financing mechanism and trading | Instruments: |
| Market-based | |
| Tax | |
| Incentives | |
| Units created for trade: Certified emission reductions (CERs) in CDM projects: | |
| Short-term credits (tCERs) | |
| Long-term credits (lCERs) | |
| Voluntary carbon market: | |
| Not entire forest area accounted for | |
| Only specified amount banked as buffer. |