Warsaw Framework for REDD+

COP 19, held in November 2013 in Warsaw, Poland, adopted the 7 decisions of the Warsaw Framework for REDD+. This agreement has widely been recognized as a breakthrough in negotiations providing clarity on a number of important issues related to REDD+ implementation. This website only gives a quick overview about the adopted decisions, for further information please follow the links to the full decision text.

The Warsaw Framework for REDD+ builds upon earlier decisions adopted by the COP. Click here for a full list of all decisions and other UNFCCC documents relating to REDD+.

Regarding technical assessment of submissions from Parties on proposed forest reference levels and /or forest reference levels (Decision 13/CP.19), and technical analysis of results (Decision 14/CP.19), REDD+ reporting continues under Article 5 of the Paris Agreement with the following arrangement:

The technical assessment of submissions from Parties on proposed forest reference levels and /or forest reference levels continues to be organized as a centralized activity once per year;
The technical analysis of results submitted in a technical annex to biennial transparency reports takes place concurrently with the technical expert review of biennial transparency reports.

Decision 9/CP.19: Work programme on results-based finance to progress the full implementation of the activities referred to in decision 1/CP.16, paragraph 70
The COP in this decision, inter alia:

Reaffirms that results-based finance may come from a wide variety of sources, public and private, bilateral and multilateral, including alternative sources
Encourages financing entities, including the Green Climate Fund in a key role, to channel adequate and predictable results-based finance in a fair and balanced manner, and to work with a view to increasing the number of countries that are in a position to obtain and receive payments for results-based actions
Decides to establish an information hub on the REDD Web Platform, to publish information on the results and corresponding results-based payments
Requests the Standing Committee on Finance to consider the issue of financing for forests in its work on coherence and coordination
Recognizes the importance of incentivizing non-carbon benefits for the long-term sustainability of the implementation of the activities referred to in decision 1/CP.16, paragraph 70

Decision 10/CP.19: Coordination of support for the implementation of activities in relation to mitigation actions in the forest sector by developing countries, including institutional arrangements
The COP in this decision, inter alia:

Invites interested Parties to designate a national entity or focal point to serve as liaison with the secretariat and bodies under the Convention, on coordination of support, and may also be nominated to receive and obtain results-based payments
Recognizes that in order to address issues related to the coordination of support, a number of needs and functions were identified
Encourages national entities/focal points, Parties and relevant entities financing REDD-plus to meet, on a voluntary basis, to discuss the needs and functions identified to address issues relating to coordination of support; with the first meeting to be held in conjunction with SBI 41 (December 2014)
Requests the Subsidiary Body for Implementation, at the latest, at its forty-seventh session (November-December 2017) to review the outcomes of these meetings

Decision 11/CP.19: Modalities for national forest monitoring systems
The COP in this decision, inter alia:

Affirms that the activities referred to in this decision are undertaken in the context of the provision of adequate and predictable support to developing country Parties
Decides national forest monitoring systems should be guided by the most recent IPCC guidance and guidelines, as adopted or encouraged by the COP
Also decides that national forest monitoring systems should provide data and information that are transparent, consistent over time, suitable for MRV, and build upon existing systems while being flexible and allowing for improvement

Decision 12/CP.19: The timing and the frequency of presentations of the summary of information on how all the safeguards referred to in decision 1/CP.16, appendix I, are being addressed and respected
The COP in this decision, inter alia:

Agrees that the summary of information on how all of the safeguards referred to in decision 1/CP.16, appendix I, are being addressed and respected throughout the implementation of the activities referred to in decision 1/CP.16, paragraph 70, could also be provided, on a voluntary basis, via the REDD Web Platform
Decides that developing country Parties should start providing the summary of information after the start of the implementation of activities referred to in decision 1/CP.16, paragraph 70
Also decides that the frequency for subsequent presentations of the summary of information should be consistent with the provisions for submissions of national communications and, on a voluntary basis, via the REDD Web Platform

Decision 13/CP.19: Guidelines and procedures for the technical assessment of submissions from Parties on proposed forest reference emission levels and/or forest reference levels
The COP in this decision, inter alia:

Decides that each submission of forest reference emission levels and/or forest reference levels shall be subject to a technical assessment
Invites Parties and relevant international organizations to support capacity-building for development and assessment of forest reference emission levels and/or forest reference levels
Adopts the guidelines and procedures for the technical assessment, as contained in the annex to this decision

Decision 14/CP.19: Modalities for measuring, reporting and verifying
The COP in this decision, inter alia:

Decides that measuring, reporting and verifying anthropogenic forest-related emissions by sources and removals by sinks, forest carbon stocks, and forest carbon stock and forest-area changes is to be consistent with the methodological guidance provided in decision 4/CP.15, and any guidance on the measurement, reporting and verification of nationally appropriate mitigation actions by developing country Parties as agreed by the COP
Decides that data and information should be provided through a technical annex to the biennial update reports, underlining that the submission of the technical annex is voluntary and in the context of results-based payments
Further decides to include two additional LULUCF experts in the technical team of experts for the international consultation and analysis of results-based actions reported in a technical annex to the biennial update reports, and agrees that these LULUCF experts will develop a technical report on their analysis of the technical annex and identified areas for technical improvement
Also agrees that results-based actions that may be eligible to appropriate market-based approaches that could be developed by the COP may be subject to any further specific modalities for verification

Decision 15/CP.19: Addressing the drivers of deforestation and forest degradation
The COP in this decision, inter alia:

Encourages Parties, organizations and the private sector to take action to reduce the drivers
Also encourages to continue work to address drivers, and to share information
Further encourages developing country Parties to take note of the information shared

Additions to the Warsaw Framework for REDD+ adopted by COP 21

Decision 16/CP.21: Alternative policy approaches, such as joint mitigation and adaptation approaches for the integral and sustainable management of forests
The COP in this decision, inter alia:

Recognizes that alternative policy approaches are one of the alternatives to results-based payments that may contribute to be the long-term sustainability of the implementation of the activities referred to in decision 1/CP.16, paragraph 70
Decides that developing country Parties seeking to receive support for the design and implementation of alternative policy approaches may consider; (a) development of national strategies or action plans, (b) support needs, (c) how alternative policy approaches are contributing to the activities referred to in decision 1/CP16, paragraph 70, and (d) outcomes and areas of improvement
Invites Parties that want to implement alternative policy approaches to share information via the web platform

Decision 17/CP.21: Further guidance on ensuring transparency, consistency, comprehensiveness and effectiveness when informing on how all the safeguards referred to in decision 1/CP.16, appendix I, are being addressed and respected
The COP in this decision, inter alia:

Decides that developing county Parties should provide information on which activity or activities are included in the summary of information on safeguards
Strongly encourages developing country Parties, when providing the summary of information on safeguards, to include; (a) information on national circumstances, (b) a description of each safeguard, (c) a description of existing system and processes, and (d) information on how each of the safeguards has been addressed and respected
Also encourages developing country Parties to improve the information on safeguards taking into account the stepwise approach

Decision 18/CP.21: Methodological issues related to non-carbon benefits resulting from the implementation of the activities referred to in decision 1/CP.16, paragraph 70
The COP in this decision, inter alia:

Recognizes that non-carbon benefits associated with the activities referred to in decision 1/CP.16, paragraph 70, are unique to countries’ national circumstances
Also recognizes that developing country Parties seeking support for the integration of non-carbon benefits into activities, may provide information addressing the nature, scale and importance of the non-carbon benefits
Decides that methodological issues related to non-carbon benefits do not constitute a requirement for developing country Parties to receive support for the implementation of the actions and activities or results-based payments