There are indeed connections between the causes of conflict and deforestation, as well as between peacebuilding and REDD+.

My hope for the coming years is to see more world leaders looking at carbon finance and peacebuilding as mutual beneficial approaches. We have the science to back it.

For instance, in Colombia, conflict and deforestation are generally linked to access to and control over land. Land titling, then, provides a good strategy for linking peacebuilding approaches and REDD+. In particular, evidence suggests that promoting collective land titling can help preserve both peace and forests, and enhance the quality of life in certain areas. Evidence also indicates that the strategies for reducing the causes of the conflict, including but not limited to land titling programs, could facilitate forest conservation and thus, reduction of forest-related greenhouse gas emissions

Although the means to achieve peacebuilding and forest conservation for climate change mitigation to me are clear, making it happen in an effective and efficient fashion has not been easy — in part because of the different perspectives by interested parties.

Read the full article on climate finance, conservation, and peace-building by Augusto Castro-Nuñez at Devex International Development.