Lessons from local environmental funds for REDD+ benefit sharing with indigenous people in Brazil

Summary

REDD+ activities may pose both risks and opportunities for [Indigenous People (IP)]. It has been argued that successful REDD+ benefit sharing with IP will depend upon their level of consultation and participation, the definition of property and carbon rights, institutional capacity and implementation, and monitoring of safeguards (Brown et al. 2008; Griffiths 2008; Macchi et al. 2008; Sunderlin et al. 2008 ; Cotula and Mayers 2009; Phelps et al. 2010; Luttrell et al. 2013). This infobrief presents initial lessons from two cases in Brazil for the design of local environmental funds to improve REDD+ benefit sharing for indigenous groups. [...] The first section of this brief discusses the current status (at national level ) of relevant issues for benefit sharing with IP in Brazil that may be applicable for other countries, such as property rights, safeguards and FPIC . The subsequent section presents two cases of local environmental funds for REDD+ benefit sharing with IP, showing the institutional arrangements created by them and identifying important risks and challenges while designing these funds. In conclusion, [the authros] summarize the key lessons learned from local environmental funds for REDD+ benefit sharing.