The document discusses equity, justice, and well-being in ecosystem governance in Mexico, emphasizing the importance of addressing social inequalities and promoting social rights through policies like REDD+. It also highlights challenges in harmonizing national and international policies and the need for legal reforms to ensure that benefits of forest management are distributed equitably among marginalized communities. Key proposals include recognizing rights for non-agrarian holders and creating specific funds to support vulnerable populations involved in forest management.

1. Equity, Justice & Well-being
in Ecosystem Governance

2. Equity in México
• Equity, as can interpreted from policies, implies guaranteeing
the full exercise of social rights and addressing social
inequalities.
• The exercise of social rights, translates to access to basic
services, as basic human capital needed to fully develop as
individuals.individuals.
• Mexico is a signatory of several rights and environmental
international mandates that also promote equity and its
principles.
• Never the less, the reality in Mexico is very unequal
(economic, cultural & gender discrimination).

3. REDD+ in México
• It is the link between forest management and
conservation, looking forward Sustainable Rural
Development.
• Perspective of integrated landscape management,
that implies the junction of environmental (LGEEPA),
forest (LGDFS) and climate (LGCC) with the sector
that implies the junction of environmental (LGEEPA),
forest (LGDFS) and climate (LGCC) with the sector
rural (LDRS) and agricultural (LA) laws and ectors in
Mexico.
• REDD+ is intended to move the legal and institutional
framework in order to effectively benefit forestry
communities.

4. Equity approaches
1. Benefits should be given to those who effectively
avoid emissions or increase the capture of CO2.
2. The benefits must provided to those who have
rights over land and natural resources.
3. Benefits must be channeled in favor of the poorest
and most vulnerable population or marginalized
(usually indigenous peoples, women and the
elderly).

5. Questions
• Who should get the benefits of REDD +, people
Deforest and degrading forests (to change their
behavior) or people that increase carbon sinks (to
encourage their behavior)?
• The vast majority of women, children and had no
formal rights or obligations despite being highly
involved in forest management.

6. Questions
• What is the appropriate legal concept (lack of a clear
and uniform definition): indigenous people,
indigenous community, local community and
agrarian community?
• How is should be given benefits, rights or activities or
needs-based)?
• Who decides how, when and to whom support?
Federal, State and municipal, agricultural, or
traditional authorities?

7. Options of mechanisms for equity
benefits distribution
Scheme Legal instruments & tools
(subnational level)
Equity approach
Scheme 1 Private agreements (voluntary market) The benefits must provide those who have
rights over resources.
Scheme 2 Public programs (subsudies)
Investments plans
Local Development Banks
Benefits should be given to those who
effectively avoid emissions or increase the
capture of CO2.
Benefits must be channeled in favor of the
Local Development Banks
Taxes
Benefits must be channeled in favor of the
poorest and most vulnerable population
Scheme 3 Private agreements (voluntary market)
Public programs (subsudies)
Investments plans
Local Development Banks
Taxes
The benefits must provide those who have
rights over resources.
Benefits should be given to those who
effectively avoid emissions or increase the
capture of CO2.
Benefits must be channeled in favor of the
poorest and most vulnerable population.

8. Challenges
• To harmonize/ align international and national
(environmental, forestry, rural and agrarian) policies
based on equity principles, clear homogeneous and
actualized/updated concepts.
• To develop regulations and legal instrument that
allows making operative general principles and
collective rights.

9. Challenges
• To understand REDD+ as a compensation mechanism
that might not necessary be linked to property rights
as such, but some other “under-rights” such as
possession, use and the right to receive benefits
(usufructo).
• To focus on REDD+ activities regulation (ToRs,• To focus on REDD+ activities regulation (ToRs,
eligibility criteria, requirements, etc.) in order to
address the needs of people.
• To include equity (and gender) at the highest level
(objectives) of forestry, environmental, rural and
agrarian Laws.
•

10. Propossals
• Legal reforms to recognize rights of certain holders
that do not have agrarian formal rights.
• Establish a specific Fund to finance activities (and
needs) to be performed by people who are not
owners or have recognized agricultural duties (legalowners or have recognized agricultural duties (legal
owners).
• Create and modify internal ejidos & comunidades
regulations that, based on agreements of Assembly,
recognize rights to receive benefits from REDD+ to
certain holders.

11. Considerations
• Safeguards and international standards can address
the different equity dimensions and principles.
• Project developers must include indicators to
measure the achievement of the expected results
(improve livelihoods and governance, address
inequalities, and diminish poverty)
(improve livelihoods and governance, address
inequalities, and diminish poverty)
• Knowledge landscape and cultural aspects will be
crucial to design a benefit sharing mechanism that
does not reinforce or create new inequalities.

12. Juan Carlos Carrillo
jcarrillo@cemda.org.mx