World Economic Forum partners with Sensu Insight to track reputation of JREDD+ initiatives

The World Economic Forum (WEF) has partnered with Sensu Insight to release a report into how jurisdictional REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) schemes are viewed globally by the public and key stakeholders.

The report is part of a wider initiative to increase uptake of jurisdictional approaches to reducing deforestation and preserving natural environments. Its findings benchmark the past decade of public opinion to determine evolving public perceptions of JREDD+ schemes, as well as create a framework for improving stakeholder awareness and advocacy. 

A Roadmap For Better Communications of REDD+

By examining both the challenges and opportunities facing REDD+ and JREDD+ projects, the report produces a roadmap for improving understanding and awareness around how JREDD+ solutions are seen and talked about by all stakeholders, learning from their successes and drawbacks to ensure strong support as JREDD+ approaches continue to develop. Through this increased understanding, advocates can better support the next phase of their mission to increase uptake of REDD+ and JREDD+ projects and programmes. 

The research has been carried out using tracking metrics designed by Sensu Insight, to extract meaning from large volumes of digital content and conversation. Tracked back as far as January 2012, Sensu’s approach captures digital content and conversation for specified terms within targeted topics of online content and conversation, from publicly available sources, in order to evidence and track reputation of the subject. 

Open Out to New Audiences

Steve Leigh, managing director at Sensu Insight, commented: “As REDD+ projects, and environmental sustainability more generally, increasingly step into the spotlight and open out to new audiences, they in turn also gain increased mainstream attention and scrutiny. 

“With this, however, come unique opportunities to build reputation and how REDD+ and JREDD+ schemes are perceived in the eyes of the public. Building and maintaining reputation is a never-ending mission, and improving perception and advocacy for these initiatives relies upon keeping them relevant to the ever-changing agenda and prevailing issues of the day.” 

Gives us a Clear Direction

Lucy Almond, Strategic Communications Director, Nature Pillar, at the World Economic Forum, added: “This research project gave us a clear direction for our REDD+ work, in maintaining and improving how REDD+ schemes are viewed by new and existing audiences. 

“Increasing awareness and education is key to the ongoing goal of managing and improving reputation, demonstrating clearly the critical role REDD+ schemes have the vast potential to play in reducing deforestation, forest degradation and lowering emissions, to the benefit of all.”