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Abstract
This report explores the reasons why Norway chose Guyana as a partner for their REDD initiative - a 'risky' country where it had very little knowledge or traditional presence. By employing Foreign Policy Analysis I demonstrate how international, domestic, and governmental factors all contributed to making the partnership happen. I found that the decision was a political one, to a large extent made by Minister Solheim himself and a few leaders of the initiative. Although the partnership is being funded by the aid budget, this case shows that climate-policy priorities trumped foreign aid considerations in the decision-making process. The decision was characterized by lack of time, as the partnership was to serve as a model and had to be ready before the COP-15 meeting in Copenhagen in December 2009. In this context, development aspects and potential risks were given less emphasis. The analysis demonstrates how differences in priorities, influence and responsibilities between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of the Environment became evident in this case. The report contributes to an ongoing debate in the field of foreign aid, as to whether spending aid allocations on payments for ecosystem services is a new practice that should be maintained.
Key Words
REDD+, foreign policy analysis, development aid
Acknowledgements
This report is based on my Master's thesis submitted to Centre for Development and the Environment (SUM) November 2012. In this report I have shortened Chapter 3 on Theoretical approach and Chapter 4 on Methodology in addition to minor changes and updates throughout. Thank you once more to my supervisor Desmond McNeill at SUM, and Lars Gulbrandsen, Kristin Rosendal, Inken Reimer, Mariel Stoen, Cecilie Hirsch, Maren Olene Kloster, Berit Kristoffersen, Pal Skedsmo and all the other positive and helpful staff at Fridtjof Nansen Institute. I also wish to express my gratitude to my interviewees who provided their insights and knowledge.
1 Introduction
"It's a mystery why we chose Guyana out of all countries"
Informant, Norwegian Government official
Norway's International Climate and Forest Initiative (NICFI) has won a highly prominent place in the Norwegian aid agenda, as well as in public debates about foreign aid priorities and climate change. It provides a real-world test case of the term "sustainable development". Norway's Prime Minister Jens...