Governing tropical forests: Redd+, certification and local forest outcomes in Malaysia

Attempts to prevent deforestation and to introduce more sustainable and adaptive forms of forestry management have a long history. Deforestation in tropical rainforest countries is endemic and it is recognised as a significant contributor to global climate change. In line with broader trends to harness 'new generation' environmental management, the governance of tropical forests has increasingly been shaped by non-state actors and mechanisms, such as forest certification bodies and the NGO sector. This has filled the gap left as a consequence of the inherent limitations of multilateral agreements and institutions in effectively implementing forest governance at a national and local level. This article examines the most recent manifestation of tropical forest governance in the form of the Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation Plus (REDD+) mechanism. It uses a case study of Malaysia to analyse the intersections between public law frameworks for dealing with forest loss and climate change and the private systems for tropical forest governance. Indigenous and local community rights emerge as a key area of conflict in the Malaysian forestry sector. This article draws some key lessons from the development of forest certification processes in Malaysia that need to be considered in the implementation of proposed REDD+ schemes to ensure the achievement of a range of environmental and cultural outcomes.