UN-REDD Programme Support on
REDD+ Safeguards
Jerry Harrison, UNEP-WCMC
XX October 2014

The UN-REDD Programme• United Nations collaborative initiative on Reducing Emissions fromDeforestation and forest Degradation in developing countries• UNDP, UNEP, FAO• Support to 56 countries
o Direct support to implementation of National Programmeso Developing common approaches, analyses, methodologies, tools, data and bestpractices

The Cancun Agreement (UNFCCC COP16,2010)
Cancun Safeguards(a) Policyalignment(national &international)(b) Forest
governance(transparency &effectiveness)(c) Knowledge andrights of indigenous
peoples & local
communities(g) Risk ofdisplacementof emissions

The Elements ofCancun
Safeguards(f) Risk ofreversals ofemissions
reductions(e) Natural forest,
biodiversity, social& environmental
benefits(d) Full and effective
participation ofrelevant stakeholders,in particular IP & local
communities
3

Safeguard (e)• That actions are consistent with theconservation of natural forests and biologicaldiversity, ensuring that the actions referred toin paragraph 70 of this decision are not used
for the conversion of natural forests, but are
instead used to incentivize the protection andconservation of natural forests and theirecosystem services, and to enhance othersocial and environmental benefits;

The Cancun Agreements (COP16, 2010)
Safeguards Information Systems (SIS)
Safeguards Information Systems (SIS) as one of the 4 core elements tohave in place for REDD+ implementation:
1. National REDD+ strategy or
action plan

3. National forest monitoring
system

2. National forest reference
emission level and/orreference level

4. SIS: System for providing
information on how the REDD+
safeguards are being addressedand respected throughout theimplementation of the activities

5Objectives of UN-REDD Programme
Work on Safeguards
1.

2.

To support countries indeveloping approaches tosafeguards
To address social andenvironmental issues in UN-REDD
National Programmes and other
UN-REDD funded activities

Support toCountries on Safeguards
1. Provision of a framework for supporting countries onsafeguards
2. Support on defining safeguards goals and policies, laws andregulations (PLRs)• Help countries to assess their existing policies and compare these tothe UNFCCC Cancun safeguards

3. Assistance with the development and structuring ofSafeguards Information Systems (SIS)• Help countries to assess their existing systems that may already fulfill
some of the functions of a REDD+ SIS

UN-REDD Framework for Supporting theDevelopment of Country Approaches to Safeguards

Development of a Country
Approach to Safeguards• No fixed, linear path to apply
UNFCCC requirements on
safeguards• Taking into consideration:– phased approach– what is already in place– additional objectives defined bythe country• Throughout the process, effectiveparticipation will be essential

Country Approach to Safeguards
Tool (CAST)
CAST is a process-oriented tool designed to support countries to:– Plan for REDD+ safeguards and SIS activities– Identify, prioritize and sequence activities• Flexible: useful at the early planning stage or later in theprocess– Identify available information resources– Clarify how the processes under various safeguards initiatives
correspondStructure of the CAST
• Excel-based• Available in English, Spanishand FrenchPart 1
Identifying
Part 2
Information resources
Part 3Prioritizing
Part 4PlanningPart 5
Applying information resources

Benefits and Risks Tool (BeRT)
Supporting countries to address and respect theCancun safeguards
BeRT helps countries to:1) Identify benefits and risks associated with specific REDD+
actions, in the context of the Cancun safeguards
2) Understand how the country’s existing policies, laws andregulations (PLRs) address those benefits and risks
3) Identify gaps in policies, laws and regulations with respect
to the Cancun safeguards• BeRT is being finalised and trialled in-country• Launch in November 2014
• To enquire about trialling the tool, email BERT@un-redd.org

Structure of the BeRT
• Excel-based• Organised by the Cancun
safeguards• Key issues and guiding questions
support application• Allows for the prioritization ofbenefits and risks• Flexible: user can focus on given
safeguards or modules

Module 1
Documenting REDD+ actions
Module 2
Identifying benefits and risks
Module 3
Identifying relevant PLRs andgaps

Examples of UN-REDD Support to Countries on
Safeguards• Bhutan– Workshops on country approaches to safeguards and gap analysis ofpolicies, laws and regulations– Workshop in November 2014 will apply the BeRT

• Tanzania– Capacity building for spatial analysis to inform REDD+ planning that takes
into account the environmental safeguards– Using data from national forest inventories• Costa Rica
– Development of a Safeguards Information System (SIS)– Proposed methodology and indicators

In summary• UNFCCC guidance on safeguards and SIS• UN-REDD Programme supports countries on– Defining safeguards goals, policies, laws andregulations– Designing Safeguards Information Systems (SIS)• UN-REDD Programme tools• CAST• BeRTSafeguards Coordination GroupMaria Sanz Sanchez - Maria.SanzSanchez@fao.org
Kimberly Todd - kimberly.todd@undp.org
Lera Miles - Lera.Miles@unep-wcmc.org

Thank You