Evidence on community-based forestry for climate targets: A systematic literature review

Global and national policies to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions require effective site-level implementations. Community-based forestry (CBF) has been increasingly included in national climate mitigation strategies, yet evidence on where CBF climate actions occur, how mitigation impacts are assessed, and what benefits communities receive remains fragmented. We conducted a systematic literature review of empirical practices to address this gap, resulting in 185 papers for content analysis. We found that most studies are concentrated in Asia and Africa, with uneven coverage across countries. Studies focus mainly on terrestrial ecosystems, while wetlands remain underrepresented. Carbon stock enhancement is the most frequently examined mitigation action, followed by avoided deforestation. However, estimates are predominantly site-specific, limiting inference at broader spatial scales. Reported benefits include multiple ecosystem services, with cultural services most frequently mentioned. Regarding monetary benefits, we found limited evidence on carbon revenues. Some studies also reported concerns about the clarity of allocation criteria, with potential implications for transparency and equity. Enhancing CBF contributions to climate targets requires supportive climate policies that provide robust measurement and monitoring frameworks, improve access to climate finance, and strengthen tenure security and carbon rights. Broader empirical coverage beyond the existing evidence base is also needed to deepen understanding of CBF’s role in climate mitigation.