Development in developing countries often results in mass land-use change and subsequent increase in greenhouse gas emission by deforestation or forest degradation. For instance, approximately a-fifth of global greenhouse gas emissions was a result of altered land-use in the period of 1990 to 2000 (Houghton, 2005). To tackle this relationship at a global scale, REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Developing Countries) emerged as an international strategy to incentivise developing nations to commit in forest conservation and sustainable forest management. This is faciliated by generating financial incentive for developing nations' verified effort for the additional carbon stored in trees or not emitted to the atmosphere. To put it simply, it involves operationalised financial transactions between carbon emitters, developing countries, and carbon sequestrators, local govenrments and communities in forest environment where the emitters purchase environmental stewardship from sequestrators. It is one of the largest carbon emission reduction initiatives targeting developing nations to protect forest. It also reflects an enormous potential for developing nations to gain from 'clean' modes of development as it creates two sources of economic benefit; payment for environmental protection and revenue generated by non-extractive economic activities. Community-based ecotourism appears to present an enormous potential under this context where a local community can benefit from environmental payment and tourism income.

We examine some of the progress being made by REDD and examine how in other work in community based ecotourism there have been failures in implementing the on ground projects and discuss what might be learned and how it might be implemented in the REDD Forest Climate Change Initiative.