Several Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) projects are currently being planned and implemented in the Brazilian Amazon forest. Representatives of Brazilian Indigenous peoples and local communities recognize potential benefits of REDD+ mechanisms to the people that live in and depend on the forest. However, they are also discussing and expressing their concerns about how they should participate in the development of policies and standards for REDD+ and about possible risks associated with REDD+ projects and programmes that could disrespect traditional collective rights and generate social conflicts.
As a consequence, the Amazon Working Group, the National Council of Rubber Tappers, and the Coordination of the Indigenous Organizations of the Brazilian Amazon organized an open and public consultation process with the participation of representatives of Indigenous peoples and local communities, small land-holders, environmentalists, and researchers. The consultation process enabled them to express their concerns and define essential safeguards and minimum requirements that REDD+ initiatives in Brazil should comply with. This article aims to demonstrate the methodology that local grassroots organizations used for the public consultations in order to generate bottom-up recommendations for social and environmental safeguards for REDD+ activities that affect and involve forest-dependent peoples.