REDD+ and Forest Carbon Rights in Papua New Guinea - background legal analysis

There is, as yet, no legislation specifically dealing with REDD+, forest carbon rights or payments for environmental services generally in Papua New Guinea (PNG). However, PNG has a well-developed legal system with a number of elements which could support the creation of national framework for REDD+ and forest carbon rights.

The conclusion reached in this Paper is that customary land tenure, as presently structured, cannot legally support a market-based approach to REDD+ which involves site-specific forest carbon projects due to the legal restrictions which customary land tenure brings and the contractual obligations that underpin REDD+ projects.