UN REDD+ Programme:
Overview
Ms Lisa Ogle, UNDP / UN-REDD Programme, Consultant
Contact: lisa@lisaogle.net
Prepared for the UNDP/JICA Joint Workshop on REDD+
and Gender held on14 December 2011, Tokyo, Japan
Supported by the UNDP Gender Team and theUNDP-Japan Partnership Fund

Outline of presentation• Part 1: What is REDD+? (review)• Part 2: The UNFCCC framework for
REDD+– UN REDD works within this framework• Part 3: What is the role of the UN REDD
Programme?
– What does it do?
– Which countries are receiving support?

Part 1: What is REDD+?

What is REDD+?
definition• REDD+ stands for:– Reducing Emissions from Deforestation andforest Degradation• REDD+ is a new international mechanism
to create an incentive for developingcountries to:– reduce their rate of deforestation and forest
degradation (REDD); and– increase carbon stocks (‘+’).

• REDD+ is only for developing countries• REDD+ is voluntaryGlobal greenhousegas emissions
Objective ofREDD+:
to reduce CO₂emissions
from the forest
sector

Source: (2007) IPCC 4th Assessment
Report, WG3, Ch 1, Fig 1.3bUN-REDD
PR O G RAM M E

How will REDD+ work?
Developed countries pay developing countries for
reducing emissions below reference level

Reference level
CO₂Emissions
from forest
sectorReduced emissions
from deforestation/deg
Plus carbon removals byenhanced carbon stocks

TimeUN-REDD
PR O G RAM M E

Part 2: The UNFCCC
framework for REDD+

Cancun Agreements (2010):
Framework for REDD+• Sets out a broad framework for REDD+– Lists five REDD+ activities• Requests countries to develop national
REDD+ strategies• Establishes safeguards (Annex I) andrequires them to be monitored

Five REDD+ activities
REDD+REDD+ activities

Reducing 1. Reducing deforestation
carbonemissions 2. Reducing forest degradation(‘REDD’)
3. Conserving forest carbon
stocksExamplesLess conversion of forest tocommercial plantations (eg oil palm)•Reducing illegal logging byimproving law enforcement•Reducing collection of fuel wood
•Improved management of protectedareas•Establishment of new PAs

Increasingcarbon
4. Sustainable management of SFM techniques reducing carbon
stocksforests
taken from, say 10 tC/ ha
5 tC/ ha(the ‘+’)5. Enhancement of forest
Forest regeneration (replanting)carbon stocks

Three phases of REDD+
Phase 1

Phase 2Phase 3

Preparation

Implementation

Revenues($)• Preparenational
REDD+strategy• Capacitybuilding

1 -2 years
REDD+
Roadmap• Implementationof REDD+
strategy• Sub-nationaltesting• More capacitybuilding• Payments fordemonstrated
emission
reductions• Must bemeasured,reported andverified

2 -4 years

4 years andongoing….

Mongolia:
Multi-stakeholder Taskforce develops REDD+
Roadmap• In June 2011, Mongolia became a UN-REDD partnercountry– Mongolia is now preparing a REDD+ Roadmap to show how it willdevelop a long-term REDD+ strategy• In September 2011, the Government passed a Decree
establishing a multi-stakeholder National REDD+ Taskforce– 20 members: including Forestry Agency, mining sector, agriculturesector, finance sector, Human Rights Commission, Mongolian
Environment Civil Council, private sector, National University ofMongolia• First draft of REDD+ Roadmap expected by end January2012

A national REDD+ strategy
should…
• Identify drivers and solutions, and mustalso address:– Land tenure issues– Forest governance issues– Gender considerations– Safeguards (environmental and social)• Set out how benefits ($$’s) will be shared– Establish a benefit-sharing system• Ensure the participation of stakeholders,indigenous peoples and local communities
in the development and implementation of
the REDD+ strategy

REDD revenues
Who will pay for emission reductions?
• Under UNFCCC framework, not yet clear whether fundingfor emission reductions will be:– Fund-based (initially donors
Annex 1 country obligations?)– Market-based (carbon credits), or– A combination of both

• Financing options will be negotiated at COP 17 in Durban,
2011, and at COP 18• Interim funding sources for REDD+:– Bilateral donors (e.g. Norway-Indonesia partnership)– Bilateral purchases of carbon credits by developed countries (e.g.
Australia, California)– Voluntary carbon market

Benefit-sharing• Not yet clear, but revenues likely to be
paid directly to national governments– Payments only made after demonstrated
emission reductions• Governments should establish a national
benefit distribution system (BDS) with:– provincial/district/local governments– indigenous peoples and local communities• Benefit-sharing system should:– aim to reduce poverty– be transparent and accountableSafeguards(Dec. 1/CP16, Appendix 1)

EnvironmentalSocial• Be consistent with theconservation of biodiversity• No conversion of natural forests
to plantations• Actions to reduce leakage– displacement of emissions• Actions to address risks ofreversals• Indigenous peoples and local
communities:– Respect for knowledge andrights– Notes UNDRIP: Free, priorand informed consent (FPIC)– Full and effective participation• Transparent and effective national
forest governance structures, eg– Improved forest law
enforcement
UN-REDD– Anti-corruption measures
PR O G RAM M E

Safeguards (cont.)• COP decision lists the minimum things
that a country must include as safeguards• Each country must design its own
safeguard system according to its country
circumstances:– Identifying which additional safeguards it wants
to have• Eg changes in land tenure, changes in poverty
indicators, changes in women’s status– Identifying safeguard indicators and how it will
monitor them (in accordance with any guidance
given by the COP)

Free, prior and informed
consent (FPIC)• Local communities and indigenous peoples have the right tochoose whether they want REDD+ activities on their land
– The process for this is known as FPIC• The obligation to undertake FPIC comes from:– the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (2007),and also UN-REDD Programme’s own Guidelines on FPIC• FPIC stands for:– Free: community can decide without threats or coercion– Prior: adequate time before event to understand and consider– Informed: clear information, in local language, covering both benefits andrisks of REDD+ activities; information must reach women too– Consent: communities can give or withhold consent• FPIC process will be different in each country

Viet Nam
Pilot: An FPIC process• With support from the UN-REDD Programme, Viet Nam
pioneered an FPIC process in two pilot districts:– Lam Ha District and Di Linh Districts, in Lam Dong Province– Cost of FPIC: about US$115,000 for 80 villages• Challenges and lessons learned:– Scale of FPIC needed for REDD+ is much larger than a project scale– Adequate time needs to be given to awareness raising• A single event for local communities is insufficient; ongoing process– Local facilitators are essential for effective awareness-raising• eg recruit and train people from local colleges, universities, etc– How to document decisions?
• Some may fear submitting a written statement• but how to record decision to avoid future conflicts?

Viet Namposter used in FPIC process

Ref: Applying the principle of Free, Prior and Informed Consent in the UN-REDD Programme
in Viet Nam, August 2010

Viet Nam and FPIC
• Click here to see a video on FPIC in Viet Nam:
http://www.youtube.com/v/cvqAcr6axuM?version=3

Monitoring of safeguards(Dec1/CP.16)• UNFCCC decision requires countries to establish a system
to monitor these safeguards• But not yet clear how this must be done:– SBSTA (and COP 17 in Durban) are working on modalities forreporting on how safeguards are being met•[SBSTA = Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice]Forest monitoring(Dec 4/CP.15)• Establish a national forest monitoring system to:– Monitor changes in forest cover– Countries can choose other elements (eg local government areas,high value biodiversity areas, protected areas, land tenure, etc)

• How must this be done?
– Using a Satellite Land Monitoring System (remote sensing)– A Web-based/GIS interface (for transparency and open access)• See example of PRODES Web-Interface from Brazil• Satellite data should be combined with ground-based
approaches to improve accuracy– Indigenous peoples and local communities should be engaged inmonitoring and reporting

PRODES Web-Interface

http://www.dpi.inpe.br/prodesdigital/prodes.php
Slide courtesy of Mr Joel Scriven, FAO
Consultant joel.scriven@fao.org /joelscriven@gmail.com

NOT RELATED TO CARBON

Measurement, reporting andverification (MRV)• This relates to measuring carbon in Phase 3• To receive REDD+ revenues, countries must be able tomeasure, report and verify (MRV) forest carbon emissions
and removals:– Measurement of activity change data and emission factors– Reporting of results through UNFCCC national reporting framework– Verification will be provided by UNFCCC inspectors in-country• FAO has expertise in assisting countries with monitoring andMRVPart 3:What is the role of the UNREDD Programme?

UN-REDD Programme• UN-REDD Programme launched in 2008
– Purpose: to assist developing countries toprepare for and to implement REDD+ strategies– Working in 35 countries (all still in Phase 1)– Supports a national approach to REDD+ (it isnot project based)– Note: UN-REDD does not buy forest carbon
credits• Other multilateral REDD+ initiatives
include the World Bank’s:– Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF)– Forest Investment ProgramUN-REDD Programme• UN-REDD is a collaboration between:– UNDP, FAO and UNEP

• UN-REDD Programme is governed by aPolicy Board– Decides on strategic direction and budget
allocation– Made up of 17 representatives from partnercountries, donors, civil society, indigenous
peoples and three UN agencies

Red = receiving funding
Blue = partner countries (no funding yet)

Which countries is UN-REDD
supporting?
14 countries

21 countries(Receiving direct support and funding)(Partner countries – no funding yet)

• Asia - Pacific:– Cambodia, Indonesia, Papua New
Guinea, The Philippines, Solomon
Islands, Viet Nam• Africa:– Democratic Republic of theCongo, Nigeria, Tanzania, Zambia• Latin America / Caribbean:– Bolivia, Ecuador, Panama,Paraguay• Asia – Pacific:– Bangladesh, Bhutan, Mongolia,Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka• Africa:– Central African Republic,
Ethiopia, Gabon, Kenya, Congo(R. of),• Latin America / Caribbean– Argentina, Colombia, Costa Rica,
Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras,
UN-REDD
Ivory Coast, Mexico,Peru, Sudan
PR O G RAM M E

UN-REDD Programme Funds
by country
Country

Approved budget (US)REDD+ Status (Dec 2011)

Congo, The Dem. Republic

7,383,200

Implementing

Papua New Guinea

6,388,884

Implementing

Indonesia

5,644,250

Implementing

Panama5,300,000

Implementing

Paraguay

4,720,001

Allocated

Bolivia

4,708,000

Implementing

Zambia4,490,000

Implementing

Viet Nam

4,384,756

Implementing

Tanzania

4,280,000

Implementing

Ecuador

4,000,000

Allocated

Nigeria

4,000,000

Allocated

Cambodia

3,001,350

Implementing

Solomon Islands

550,000

Allocated

Philippines

500,000

Implementing

How is the UN-REDD
Programme financed?
• Current funding portfolio of US$150 million– Of this, US$51.3 million is for national support• Has five donors– Norway (largest donor)– Denmark– Spain– Japan– European Commission• Governed by a Policy Board (17 members)– Approves funding and provides strategic direction– Meets twice a year (March and August)UN-REDD Programme
Strategy (cont.)
UNDP component’s include gender• National REDD+ Governance– Gender identified as a topic tosupport good governance• Transparent, Equitable andAccountable Management ofREDD+ Payments– Recognizes that poorly
managed REDD+ payments
could have negative impacts
on gender equality• Can support countries to do a
scoping analysis ofUN-REDD
genderPR O G RAM M E

Cambodia and Indonesia
Pilots: Accounting for multiple benefits• While the primary focus of REDD+ is on reducing emissions
from forest carbon, REDD+ can also deliver other benefits,– eg biodiversity conservation, adaptation (eg mangrove ‘bio-shields’),
watershed protection, flood reduction, etc• Cambodia and Indonesia are piloting approaches to identify
and value multiple benefits– Maps showing forest cover can be over-layed with other spatial
information: threatened species habitat, watershed areas, etc– How to monetize these values?

• UN-REDD Programme (through UNEP’s World
Conservation Monitoring Centre) is developing a tool kit tosupport identification of areas with multiple benefitsViet Nam
Pilot: Benefit Distribution System (BDS)• Viet Nam is currently implementing its National REDD+
Programme, includes a pilot of benefit-distribution– UN-REDD organized a series of studies and local consultations to examine
the issues that need to be addressed in designing a REDD+-compliant BDS.

• BDS recommendations include:– Regular independent, external audits (national and sub-national)– Incorporating payments for multiple benefits beyond carbon by using
weightings (co-efficients) for areas with high biodiversity, high poverty
rates, or households headed by women– Conditional cash transfers (certainty of future payments forperformance)• Payments in Phase 2 will be distributed through a BDS thattakes these issues into accountIndonesia• UN-REDD has contributed US$5.6 million
to support REDD+ in Indonesia• Click here to see a short film on UN REDD
in Indonesia– http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=Fia4R
xqU4Sk&vq=mediumGovernance framework for
UN-REDD• UN-REDD:– operates within the UNFCCC framework for
REDD+– adopts a ‘rights-based approach’ to REDD+– Has its own programme guidelines, eg:• Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC)• Social and Environmental Principles and Criteria• Next presentation will address how genderis considered within this frameworkReferences(COP decisions and international documents)• UNFCCC COP decisions on REDD+– Bali: Dec 2/CP.13– Copenhagen: Dec 4/CP. 15 on Methodological guidance for REDD+– Cancun Agreements: Dec 1/CP.16 (Chapter C)• International treaties and declarations– United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples(2007)– Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against
Women (1979)References
UN-REDD Programme documents• FCPF and UN REDD Guidelines for Stakeholder Engagement, 18 May
2011• UN-REDD Programme Guidelines on Free, Prior and Informed Consent(draft released for public comment, December 2011)• Social and Environmental Principles and Criteria (draft for consultation),
Version 3, September 2011
• The UN-REDD Programme Strategy: 2011 - 2015
• Enters, T., REDD+ and UN-REDD in Asia and the Pacific, presentation
on 24 August 2011, Bangkok, Thailand• UN REDD / GIZ, Design of a REDD+-Compliant Benefit Distribution
System for Viet Nam, January 2010

Thank you!
The author wishes to thank the following
people for assistance with this presentation:
Mr Timothy Boyle: timothy.boyle@undp.org
Mr Thomas Enters: thomas.enters@unep.org
Mr Akihito Kono: akihito.kono@undp.org
Ms Mariko Saito: mariko.saito@undp.org