Systematic mapping of academic literature on REDD+ in Mexico: research gaps and ways forward
- 1Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
- 2Tecnología e Innovación (SECIHTI)
Abstract
Academic literature has extensively analyzed REDD+, with some studies criticizing its effectiveness, efficiency, and equity, and others proposing recommendations to improve implementation and outcomes. Mexico was among the pioneering countries in REDD+ implementation, introducing legislative reforms (2008), launching pilot initiatives (2011–2015), and publishing its national REDD+ strategy (2017). However, the country did not progress toward the performance-based payment phase as planned. Despite substantial scholarly attention and several topical review articles, no systematic review of academic literature on REDD+ has focused exclusively on Mexico. This study addresses this gap through a systematic mapping of the scientific literature on REDD+ in Mexico. The objectives were to identify thematic and methodological research gaps, systematize policy and practice recommendations, and assess the feasibility of conducting a full systematic review or a meta-analysis. Our findings on the evolution and geographic distribution of REDD+ studies indicate a link between national policy processes and implementation dynamics that may have generated research opportunities through pilot activities, institutional collaborations, and funding. Among ten broad topics, three dominated the literature: carbon estimation and assessment, environmental governance, and public policies design. Carbon estimation and assessment studies are largely quantitative; however, the feasibility of meta-analysis is constrained by inconsistent reporting and the absence of standardized outcome indicators. In contrast, governance and public policies studies are predominantly qualitative and exploratory or descriptive. Longitudinal and evaluative studies remain scarce, and the lack of standardized social indicators limits systematic cross-case comparison and assessment of institutional change over time. Overall, the trajectory of REDD+ research in Mexico reflects broader trends in environmental governance scholarship, moving from an initial focus on institutional design and participation toward greater attention to impact evaluation. The existing academic literature on REDD+ in Mexico provides a rich but methodologically heterogeneous evidence, suitable for qualitative synthesis but still insufficiently standardized for rigorous meta-analysis.
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BibTeX
@article{spiric2026systematic,
title = {{Systematic mapping of academic literature on REDD+ in Mexico: research gaps and ways forward}},
author = {Jovanka Špirić and María Liliana Ávalos-Rodríguez and Edgar Gregorio Leija-Loredo},
journal = {Environmental Research Letters},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1088/1748-9326/aea870},
url = {https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/aea870},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Systematic mapping of academic literature on REDD+ in Mexico: research gaps and ways forward
AU - Jovanka Špirić
AU - María Liliana Ávalos-Rodríguez
AU - Edgar Gregorio Leija-Loredo
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/21
JO - Environmental Research Letters
DO - 10.1088/1748-9326/aea870
UR - https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/aea870
AB - Academic literature has extensively analyzed REDD+, with some studies criticizing its effectiveness, efficiency, and equity, and others proposing recommendations to improve implementation and outcomes. Mexico was among the pioneering countries in REDD+ implementation, introducing legislative reforms (2008), launching pilot initiatives (2011–2015), and publishing its national REDD+ strategy (2017). However, the country did not progress toward the performance-based payment phase as planned. Despite substantial scholarly attention and several topical review articles, no systematic review of academic literature on REDD+ has focused exclusively on Mexico. This study addresses this gap through a systematic mapping of the scientific literature on REDD+ in Mexico. The objectives were to identify thematic and methodological research gaps, systematize policy and practice recommendations, and assess the feasibility of conducting a full systematic review or a meta-analysis. Our findings on the evolution and geographic distribution of REDD+ studies indicate a link between national policy processes and implementation dynamics that may have generated research opportunities through pilot activities, institutional collaborations, and funding. Among ten broad topics, three dominated the literature: carbon estimation and assessment, environmental governance, and public policies design. Carbon estimation and assessment studies are largely quantitative; however, the feasibility of meta-analysis is constrained by inconsistent reporting and the absence of standardized outcome indicators. In contrast, governance and public policies studies are predominantly qualitative and exploratory or descriptive. Longitudinal and evaluative studies remain scarce, and the lack of standardized social indicators limits systematic cross-case comparison and assessment of institutional change over time. Overall, the trajectory of REDD+ research in Mexico reflects broader trends in environmental governance scholarship, moving from an initial focus on institutional design and participation toward greater attention to impact evaluation. The existing academic literature on REDD+ in Mexico provides a rich but methodologically heterogeneous evidence, suitable for qualitative synthesis but still insufficiently standardized for rigorous meta-analysis.
SN - 1748-9326
ER -