Institutional Mechanisms for REDD+ - Case Studies Working Paper

1.0 MÉXICO
1.1 INTRODUCTION
STUDY OVERVIEW:
The México case study provides an overview of existing Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) systems
that will likely be used as models for the implementation of REDD+ in the country. The case study
focuses on two PES systems and two emerging REDD+ projects:
� Comisión Nacional Forestal (National Forestry Commission of México) [CONAFOR]’s ProÁrbol PES
system is the national, and most prominent, government-sponsored system. It generates revenues
from water usage fees, and the money is distributed among participant communities in projects
established in CONAFOR’s forest priority areas.
� The carbon sales system in the state of Oaxaca is a voluntary system facilitated by Mexican
nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) that involves 10 communities. The project sells carbon
storage and sequestration from private-sector buyers, and the funds are distributed with the
communities.
This study focuses on two systems that were chosen due to their potential role in future REDD+
systems and their relatively well developed status. In addition, the case study touches tangentially on a
REDD+ pilot in the state of Chiapas and on the State of Chiapas’ Climate Change Strategy, which
involves a PES system.
This study draws insights from interviews and visits conducted between March 2011 in Guadalajara,
México City, and field visits in the states of Oaxaca and Chiapas.
The literature suggests that there are three key elements for the successful implementation of Reducing
Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) projects: (1) clear and secure land tenure
rights; (2) rights over the use of the resources; and (3) access to benefits derived from the resources and/or
from the use of the resources (Larson et al., 2010; Barry et al., 2010). As countries develop and implement
REDD+ programs, México offers interesting insights on each of these three elements:
1. Relatively secure land rights: Even though agrarian conflicts persist in some areas, land tenure rights
are relatively secure in México, with between 70–80 percent of the forest land in México classified as
―social property‖ (propiedad social) and owned by ejidos and communities (Robles, 2011). 1
2. Recognition of community governance structures: By law, ejidos and local communities have the right
to define their own decision-making processes. The combination of secure land rights and selfgovernance
has been credited as an enabling environment for thousands of communities to manage their
forests successfully for the production of timber and non-timber forest products (NTFPs) while
maintaining stable forest cover (National Forest Commission, 2010; Barry et al., 2010).
1 Based on data from the National Institute for Geography, Statistics and Informatic (INEGI). INEGI estimates are, however, controversial.
PRRGP INSTITUTIONAL MECHANISMS FOR REDD: CASE STUDIES – WORKING PAPER 1