Intergovernmental Fiscal Transfers, Forest Conservation and Climate Change

Silvia Irawan, Earth Innovation Institute, US and Luca Tacconi, The Australian National University, Canberra

Intergovernmental fiscal transfers (IFTs) are an innovative way to create incentives for local public actors to support conservation. This book contributes to the debate about how to conserve tropical forests by implementing mechanisms for reducing deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+).

With Indonesia as a case study, the authors adopt an interdisciplinary approach, drawing on political science, economics, and public policy. They consider the theoretical justification, as well as the wider political and administrative context for developing the design of IFTs for conservation.

‘With forests now enshrined in the Paris climate agreement, REDD+ initiatives and low emission development strategies (LEDS) will need insights like the ones provided in this timely and important volume to make a difference on the ground. The book draws on the perspectives of government officials from multiple sectors and at multiple levels to present a rich analysis of the economics, conditionalities and accountabilities for the design of intergovernmental fiscal transfers aimed at forest conservation – in competition with the income and jobs generated by natural resource exploitation. I highly recommend this book to anyone seeking practical ways forward on climate mitigation.’
– Anne M. Larson, Center for International Forestry Research, Peru