REDD+ and the Brazilian Beef Industry

I wasn't able to make it over to the negotiations on my third day in Cancun, but I did make it to several interesting side events. I decided to look attend a few events focused on REDD+ initiatives (http://www.climate-standards.org/redd+/), one of the many mitigation proposals, focusing on halting deforestation and environmental degradation. Many Central and South American countries have implemented aggressive REDD+ initiatives, acting to preserve their rainforests on a large scale. REDD is one of the (few) topics for which a potential agreement in Cancun remains possible; the negotiating text is very close to being complete on this issue. That being said, I figured it was a good idea to check out where the world stands on afforestation initiatives.

The overwhelming sentiment conveyed by the speakers at every REDD event I attended on this day was as follows: we need to act now, and learn as we go. As with any UN negotiations, the process is slow and tedious, and final conclusions are few and far between. When it comes to an urgent issue such as climate change, this painstaking process may not be the way to go: deforestation is occurring at an alarming rate; there is no time to work out all of the details about how to report and measure REDD efforts before beginning to implement them. As the case studies of Ecuador, Costa Rica, and Mexico have shown, stopping deforestation requires immediate action. You wont always get it right on the first try, but these countries have shown that you can learn as you go and produce impressive results. The issue is pressing and there is no time to work out all of the kinks and finalize all of the mechanism details before beginning to take action.

Brazil, another major actor on the REDD initiatives, took another spin on the issue during a side event about their beef industry - an industry that is largely responsible for said deforestation. The presenter explained that by manipulating aspects of beef production (pasture management, feeding habits, and fertility rates), Brazilian farmers have been able to decrease their carbon footprint in beef production. Brazil also has an aggressive public policy that severely limits deforestation for agricultural purposes, forcing the farmers to become more efficient land users. Satellites are used to monitor farmers' performance, ensuring that they are using sustainable practices, not violating the rights of indigenous peoples, and not abusing workers. Brazilian cattle are also slaughtered earlier, allowing them to produce less methane, one of the most potent greenhouse gases, during their lives. Some concepts of the presentation were contested by the audience, but the main message was not: when it comes to issues of farming and agriculture, the crux of the problem is this: poverty is unsustainable. Sustainable initiatives cannot be pursued in poverty; financial assistance is a necessary component of sustainable development. Farmers do not choose to degrade their land; they do so out of necessity.