Chapter 19 – A Multiple Case Study on Analyzing Policy and Their Practice Linkages: Implications to REDD+

Thailand, Indonesia, and Vietnam are preparing themselves for Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD +) implementations through numerous pilot programs and forest policy amendments. Realizing the fact that past policies were inefficient in reducing deforestations and degradations, an attempt was made to analyze and compare policy existences suited for REDD + in Thailand, Indonesia, and Vietnam. The study examined the status of policy implications for REDD + using multiple cases from five pilot schemes in these three countries, while comparing with the governance framework forwarded by Program on Forests under three governance pillars. The study found that Vietnam had a better institutional arrangement as a prerequisite for REDD + along with addressing needs of local communities; however, the policy formulation process is still top-down. Similarly, provisions for stakeholder participation and defined benefit sharing mechanisms were evident in Vietnamese policy, which is a precursor to successful REDD + results. There are numerous policies that overlay and generate intricacies in Thailand and Indonesia evident through higher policy practice gaps.