Multiple Benefits
While the main purpose of REDD+ is to contribute to global climate change mitigation, REDD+ also has the potential to deliver other benefits, both environmental and social, to countries that choose to implement it. To ensure that REDD+ delivers benefits and that risks are reduced, the UN-REDD Programme supports countries to apply the UNFCCC’s REDD+ safeguards, and to conduct land-use planning for REDD+. Biodiversity, ecosystem services and REDD+Forests provide a range of ecosystem services, and host the biodiversity that underpins these services. The services provided by any particular forest may include climate change mitigation, water regulation, cultural benefits, and production of food, fuel or fibre. REDD+ actions can protect or enhance these services by preventing loss or degradation of forest ecosystems and biodiversity, or restoring forest ecosystems. Forests vary in their importance for biodiversity and ecosystem services, and also in their likely response to forest management actions. The benefits and risks of REDD+ will thus depend on the location and type of REDD+ actions. Planning approaches to reduce risks and promote benefits may include: identifying priorities for benefits, putting safeguard policies in place, identifying risks and benefits that may arise from specific actions and selecting locations for these that secure high-priority benefits with low risks. The UN-REDD Programme supports countries in their efforts to integrate this thinking into their REDD+ strategies and development plans. Social Benefits and Risks of REDD+In addition to securing ecosystem services that benefit people, there are other potential social benefits of REDD+, such as improved livelihoods (including from carbon payments), clarification of land tenure, and stronger governance, which may arise from implementing REDD+. Depending on how REDD+ is implemented, there could also be some potential social risks, and the Cancun safeguards are intended to minimize these.
GIS training materials and tools have been developed for use by technical staff in supporting the planning of REDD+ activities that deliver multiple benefits. Click here to access the training materials in various languages.
Multiple Benefits Country Resources Hub and Announcements View recent Multiple Benefits resources sorted by country here. View Multiple Benefits announcements by country by clicking here, selecting the country of interest in the 'browse by' filter tool, and clicking the 'browse' button. |
Outcomes and Outputs |
Key Recommended Resources |
Events calendar |
FAQs about Multiple Benefits
|
Announcements
Key Contacts

Principal Technical Specialist - Planning for Places, UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC)
Programme Officer, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) (PNUD)

Programme Officer, UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC)

Programme Officer, UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC)

Senior Technical Officer, UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC)
Learn more
Find Multiple Benefits capacity building resources and learning tools here.
Discussion forums
Useful links
- Supporting REDD+ planning at UNEP-WCMC
- REDD-PAC studies on biodiversity implications of REDD+
- Rio Conventions Pavilion
- WWF’s Forest and Climate Program’s ‘Learning Sessions’ platform
- International Union of Forest Research Organizations publications.
- US AID FCMC Social and Environmental Soundness (SES) Resource Page
Social media links