Rapid expansion of agriculture has led to the destruction of forested hills critical for regulating water flows. China’s expansion has been bigger and faster than most, and so are its problems. But the notoriously top-down government has responded with a centrally funded yet incredibly decentralized, flexible, and locally-administered solution.

The United Nations and World Bank are spearheading efforts to help developing countries get ready for REDD, but many countries across Latin America are tapping a combination of World Bank donors and independent carbon standards to make sure they’re ready for REDD when it arrives. Costa Rica and Chile are among the most advanced. Here’s a look.

 RELATED LINKS HEADER   Brazil, Indonesia, And DRC Cooperate To Slow Deforestation, See REDD As Future Tool 

Brazil and Indonesia have slashed deforestation rates in the last few years, in part with the help of international donors, led by Norway. Such efforts have succeeded without a formal REDD mechanism, but both countries and the DRC are preparing to implement REDD+ programs for long-term sustainability and protection of their forests.

Billions of dollars flow into conservation every year, but that’s a mere trickle compared to the tsunami of investment flowing into sectors that chew up forests and contaminate rivers. Norway’s Pension Fund says those days will soon be a thing of the past, and this week vowed to incorporate deforestation in its  ethical investment policy in order to avoid investments in activities that kill trees.