Advisory: Renowned indigenous leaders, environmental experts to address global efforts to reduce tropical deforestation at upcoming workshop (3/26)

WHEN:
Tuesday March 26^th, 2013 | 8:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m. PDT

WHAT:
Indigenous leaders from Brazil and Mexico will join international environmental policy experts and government officials in examining how policies to reduce tropical deforestation can best ensure social and environmental protections.

Tuesday’s event on “Benefits Sharing and Safeguards” for policies to Reduce Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) is hosted by California’s REDD+ Offset Working Group (ROW), and will feature presentations and in-depth panel discussions, including how these policies can link with California’s statewide cap-and-trade system. The provisional agenda can be viewed here.

WHO:

• Anthony Eggert, UC Davis Policy Institute for the Energy, Environment, and the Economy
• Tony Brunello, Green Technology Leadership Group
• Steve Schwartzman, Environmental Defense Fund
• Jill Blockhus, The Nature Conservancy
• Monica Julissa, Acre Climate Change Institute, Acre, Brazil
• Tashka Yawanawa, Chief of the Yawanawa People
• Felicia Line, Director of Climate Change and Energy Department, Chiapas Ministry of Environment, Chiapas, Mexico
• Valentino Shal, Indigenous Social Development Consultant, Maya Mopan Community, Belize
• Rosa Maria Vidal, Pronatura Sur, Chiapas, Mexico
• Almir Surui, Chief of the Surui People
• Elsa Esquivel, Director of Cooperativa AMBIO
• David Hernández Pérez, Cooperativa AMBIO
• Juan Reategui, Technical Coordinator, Coordination of the Indigenous Organizations of the Amazon Basin (COICA)

Participants and media (including those participating via webcast) will have the opportunity to ask questions.

WHERE & REGISTRATION:
UC Davis Conference Center – University of California, Davis or via webcast.

*Register to attend in-person or via webcast: http://stateredd.org/row-workshop-benefits-sharing-and-safeguards-march-26-at-uc-davis-conference-center/#reg

BACKGROUND:
his workshop is the second of three conducted by California’s REDD+ Offset Working Group (ROW), and is hosted by UC Davis Policy Institute for Energy, Environment and the Economy, Environmental Defense Fund, The Nature Conservancy, IPAM International Program and Green Technology Leadership Group.

Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) policies provide economic incentives for forest conservation by placing a value on living forests and their ecosystems. The REDD+ Offsets Working Group (ROW) – convened by California, the Brazilian state of Acre, and the Mexican state of Chiapas – recently released recommendations for how California can bring REDD offset credits into its carbon market with environmental integrity and social equity.