National REDD+ Strategy India, 2018

The overarching objective of National REDD+ Strategy (NRPS) of India is to facilitate implementation of REDD+ programme in the country in conformity with relevant decisions of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, in particular the Cancun Agreements, Warsaw Framework for REDD+, Paris Agreement, and the national legislative and policy framework for conservation and improvement of forests and the environment. REDD+ will cover all trees within forest areas and tree outside forests (TOF) also irrespective of the legal status or ownership of land. All forest areas including TOF, which qualify under the definition of forest as provided in the strategy, will be covered under REDD+ programmes. This will facilitate measurement and reporting of the REDD+ performance at the national level and sub-national level. To start with, the coverage or eligibility of forests is considered in the context for different land categories in India, in the context of their eligibility to qualify as one of the five activities of REDD+. The REDD+ activities include reducing deforestation, reducing forest degradation, conservation of forest carbon stock, sustainable management of forests, and enhancement of forest carbon stocks.