Forests 2015, 6(1), 203-224; doi:10.3390/f6010203
A Methodological Framework for Assessing Agents, Proximate Drivers and Underlying Causes of Deforestation: Field Test Results from Southern Cameroon
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Unique Forestry and Land Use, Schnewlinstr.10, 79098 Freiburg, Germany
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Department of Geography, University of Sheffield, Winter Street, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
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Ecological and Monitoring Unit, Ministry of Environment and Nature Protection, P.O. Box 1106 Yaoundé, Cameroon
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Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Academic Editors: Andrew Vayda and Eric J. Jokela
Received: 6 October 2014 / Accepted: 16 December 2014 / Published: 9 January 2015
Abstract
The international debates on REDD+ and the expectations to receive results-based payments through international climate finance have triggered considerable political efforts to address deforestation and forest degradation in many potential beneficiary countries. Whether a country will receive such REDD+ payments is largely contingent on its ability to effectively address the relevant drivers, and to govern the context-dependent agents and forces responsible for forest loss or degradation. Currently, many REDD+ countries are embarking on the necessary analytical steps for their national REDD+ strategies. In this context, a comprehensive understanding of drivers and their underlying causes is a fundamental prerequisite for developing effective policy responses. We developed a methodological framework for assessing the drivers and underlying causes of deforestation and use the Fako Division in Southern Cameroon as a case study to test this approach. The steps described in this paper can be adapted to other geographical contexts, and the results of such assessments can be used to inform policy makers and other stakeholders. View Full-Text
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. (CC BY 4.0).
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MDPI and ACS Style
Carodenuto, S.; Merger, E.; Essomba, E.; Panev, M.; Pistorius, T.; Amougou, J. A Methodological Framework for Assessing Agents, Proximate Drivers and Underlying Causes of Deforestation: Field Test Results from Southern Cameroon. Forests 2015, 6, 203-224.