The Ministry of Environment and Energy in Ecuador announced on April 1 that it held a regional meeting focused on the distribution of benefits from the REDD+ program. The event brought together representatives from national governments in the region, Indigenous peoples, Montubio and Afro-descendant communities, civil society organizations, and other local actors.
The purpose of this gathering was to strengthen the design and implementation process for Ecuador’s REDD+ Benefit Distribution Plan. Participants discussed eligibility criteria, financial mechanisms, institutional arrangements, and participatory processes to ensure equitable sharing of climate policy benefits.
Over two days in Quito, attendees exchanged experiences regarding national progress and challenges related to benefit-sharing arrangements in countries such as Costa Rica, Brazil, and Peru. The agenda included virtual presentations and thematic panels analyzing results and lessons learned to promote more transparent and effective management systems for distributing resources derived from climate initiatives.
A central topic was the technical analysis of financial mechanisms already implemented in various countries—such as results-based payment agreements and direct grants—as well as governance models designed to efficiently channel resources into territories. Challenges related to transparency, information traceability, and accountability were also addressed during these discussions.
Ecuador presented its own progress in developing a participatory Benefit Distribution Plan for REDD+, highlighting the essential role played by local communities—including Indigenous peoples—in shaping this plan. This meeting concluded a series of dialogue events aimed at incorporating input from territorial actors into technical instruments guiding resource allocation under REDD+.
According to the Ministry’s statement, “The National Government reaffirms its commitment to consolidating public policies that guarantee equitable participation for all sectors of society while recognizing the fundamental role of local communities…in forest conservation [and] sustainable natural resource management.” The event took place within the first year of an initiative funded by the United Kingdom through UK PACT with support from Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), and Climate Law and Policy (CLP).
