Given the lack of capacity and funds for REDD+ monitoring in many countries, greater integration of carbon, social and environmental monitoring – both across scales and between disciplines – could help make the process more cost-effective. To promote such integration, advancements are needed in three key areas:

cross-scale coordination in measuring, reporting and verifying the carbon and non-carbon impacts of REDD+
a need to resolve the issue of coarse- versus fine-scale monitoring methods and datasets to facilitate the choice of appropriate performance indicators for REDD+ monitoring
promote more interdisciplinary integration in monitoring systems to reduce costs and advance our understanding of synergies and trade-offs between carbon and non-carbon benefits

The researchers conclude that integrated monitoring of REDD+ performance is not only important for assessing adherence to safeguards, but can go well beyond REDD+ to inform indicators of sustainability towards promoting benefits for both people and the environment.