REDD+ is making a comeback, and how. Over the years, we have heard millions of narratives about how the majority of phantom carbon credits are REDD+ and REDD+ ultimately had to take a back seat.
Example-  The Cordillera Azul REDD+ Project in the Peruvian Amazon, which was once hailed as a model initiative, aimed at protecting over a million hectares of rainforest and later . became a focal point of criticism around REDD+ credibility.

Well, that being said, it is also becoming increasingly clear that REDD+ or the concept of REDD+ was never a problem. The misuse was. REDD+, if done the right way , is one of the most powerful tools we have to address deforestation, biodiversity loss, and climate change in a single, integrated solution. The core idea behind REDD+, rewarding countries and communities for preserving forests instead of cutting them down remains fundamentally sound.

With the rise of jurisdictional REDD+, stricter methodologies, and alignment with Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, the system is being rebuilt on stronger foundations. Countries like Papua New Guinea, which recently lifted its moratorium on REDD+ projects, are re-entering the voluntary carbon market with renewed focus on environmental integrity and national climate targets. Others, like Gabon, are leveraging robust forest monitoring and verified emissions reductions to generate high-integrity credits through Article 6.2 frameworks.

REDD+ has ceased to be about selling hypothetical carbon savings. It is about integrating forest protection into national climate strategies, ensuring realness, additionality, and delivering tangible co-benefits.