REDD+ is one of the most important tools in the voluntary carbon market for slowing climate change by conserving the forests that already exist. If you are going to buy or sell carbon credits, understanding REDD+ is the starting point.
What does REDD+ mean?
REDD+ stands for Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation. The + adds three more activities: conservation, sustainable forest management and the enhancement of forest carbon stocks.
The idea is simple: when a forest is cleared or degraded, it releases into the atmosphere the carbon it had stored. A REDD+ project avoids those emissions by keeping the forest standing, and that verified reduction becomes carbon credits with a unique serial in a public registry.
How does a REDD+ project work?
A high-integrity REDD+ project follows a rigorous process:
- Baseline: it estimates how much deforestation would have occurred without the project.
- Additionality: it demonstrates that the reductions would not have happened on their own.
- Conservation activities: territorial monitoring, restoration and forest management with the communities.
- Monitoring (MRV): stored carbon and avoided deforestation are measured.
- Independent verification: an accredited body (such as ICONTEC) audits the results.
- Credit issuance: each tonne of CO₂ avoided receives a verifiable serial under standards such as Verra (VCS) or BioCarbon Registry.
The role of communities
The best REDD+ projects do not work without the communities that inhabit the forest. At Biotrade we develop projects with Afro-descendant and Indigenous communities of the Chocó and the Colombian Amazon, who are the guardians of the territory and its main beneficiaries.
Co-benefits beyond carbon
A well-executed REDD+ project generates value that goes far beyond the tonne of CO₂:
- Protected biodiversity and habitats.
- Governance and livelihoods for the communities.
- Water and food security in the territory.
How do I take part?
Explore our projects in the marketplace, see the verifiable results in our impact or request information to offset with traceable REDD+ credits. Still have questions? Check the frequently asked questions.