While acknowledging the importance of reducing forest-related emissions in all countries, the political interest and emphasis given to REDD+ as a key instrument to realizing forest-based emission reductions reflects the critical role of developing countries in reducing emissions from deforestation. More specifically, the section assesses the technical potential for reducing emissions through forest-related activities in developing countries based on a review of the published literature. The technical potential represents the full biophysical potential of a mitigation option without accounting for economic or other constraints (as defined in Smith et al, 2014, p. 847).