The governance of REDDþ: an institutional analysis in the Asia Pacific region and beyond

This paper explores the changing nature of North/South relations in con-temporary climate change governance. Focusing on the United Nations Collaborative Programme to Reduce Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDDþ), the paper presents a theoretical framework, through which stakeholder perceptions of REDDþ governance quality and institutional legitimacy can be evaluated. This is tested by means of a small-n survey of state and non-state participants from both the developed and developing countries, including the Asia-Pacific region. The survey results reveal generally higher ratings for REDDþ amongst Southern participants than in the North. A number of caveats are placed on the interpretation of data, and some conclusions drawn regarding contemporary climate governance and the emergence of a possible ‘South/North Divide’, challenging traditional notions of global power politics