UNFCCC documents relevant for REDD+

Acknowledging the importance of reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation, and the role of conservation, sustainable management of forests and enhancement of forest carbon stocks in developing countries,

Noting the progress made by the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice in its programme of work on methodological issues related to a range of policy approaches and positive incentives,

Also noting the range of ongoing activities and cooperative efforts being undertaken by Parties and international organizations, in accordance with decision 2/CP.13, paragraphs 1, 2, 3 and 5,

Recognizing the need for full and effective engagement of indigenous peoples and local communities in, and the potential contribution of their knowledge to, monitoring and reporting of activities relating to decision 1/CP.13, paragraph 1 (b) (iii),

Recognizing the importance of promoting sustainable management of forests and co-benefits, including biodiversity, that may complement the aims and objectives of national forest programmes and relevant international conventions and agreements,

Noting experiences and lessons learned from ongoing activities and efforts in capacity-building, testing methodologies and monitoring approaches, and a range of policy approaches and positive incentives, including those guided by the indicative guidance contained in the annex to decision 2/CP.13,

1. Requests developing country Parties, on the basis of work conducted on the methodological issues set out in decision 2/CP.13, paragraphs 7 and 11, to take the following guidance into account for activities relating to decision 2/CP.13, and without prejudging any further relevant decisions of the Conference of the Parties, in particular those relating to measurement and reporting:

1. To identify drivers of deforestation and forest degradation resulting in emissions and also the means to address these;
2. To identify activities within the country that result in reduced emissions and increased removals, and stabilization of forest carbon stocks;
3. To use the most recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change guidance and guidelines, as adopted or encouraged by the Conference of the Parties, as appropriate, as a basis for estimating anthropogenic forest-related greenhouse gas emissions by sources and removals by sinks, forest carbon stocks and forest area changes;
4. To establish, according to national circumstances and capabilities, robust and transparent national forest¹ monitoring systems and, if appropriate, sub-national systems as part of national monitoring systems that:
   1. Use a combination of remote sensing and ground-based forest carbon inventory approaches for estimating, as appropriate, anthropogenic forest-related greenhouse gas emissions by sources and removals by sinks, forest carbon stocks and forest area changes;
   2. Provide estimates that are transparent, consistent, as far as possible accurate, and that reduce uncertainties, taking into account national capabilities and capacities;
   3. Are transparent and their results are available and suitable for review as agreed by the Conference of the Parties;

2. Recognizes that further work may need to be undertaken by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, in accordance with any relevant decisions by the Conference of the Parties;

3. Encourages, as appropriate, the development of guidance for effective engagement of indigenous peoples and local communities in monitoring and reporting;

4. Encourages all Parties in a position to do so to support and strengthen the capacities of developing countries to collect and access, analyse and interpret data, in order to develop estimates;

5. Invites Parties in a position to do so and relevant international organizations to enhance capacity-building in relation to using the guidance and guidelines referred in to paragraph 1 (c) above, taking into account the work of the Consultative Group of Experts on National Communications from Parties not included in Annex I to the Convention;

6. Requests the secretariat, subject to availability of supplementary funding, to enhance coordination of the activities referred to in paragraph 5 above, in the context of existing initiatives;

7. Recognizes that developing country Parties in establishing forest reference emission levels and forest reference levels should do so transparently taking into account historic data, and adjust for national circumstances, in accordance with relevant decisions of the Conference of the Parties;

8. Invites Parties to share lessons learned and experiences gained in the application of the guidance referred to in paragraph 1 above and the annex to decision 2/CP.13 through the web platform on the UNFCCC website;

9. Urges relevant international organizations, non-governmental organizations and stakeholders to integrate and coordinate their efforts in order to avoid duplication and enhance synergy with regard to activities relating to decision 2/CP.13.
9th plenary meeting
18–19 December 2009

¹ Taking note of, if appropriate, the guidance on consistent representation of land in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Good Practice Guidance for Land Use, Land-Use Change and Forestry.