UN-REDD Programme

Promoting sustainable wood trade in the Lower Mekong region

Across the Lower Mekong Basin and China, the surging demand for timber is putting pressure on forests. The UN-REDD Lower Mekong initiative helps strengthen forest governance, and ensure that trading of wood products is legal and sustainable.

wildfire management

Damaging forest fires are symptomatic of an imbalance in natural systems exacerbated by human interventions. Unless we work to prevent them, wildfires could become one of the most important accelerators of deforestation.

Marking Progress on Gender

An overview of a training that marked the launch of capacity building efforts on the new UN-REDD Gender Marker Rating System, an effort to promote gender equality within the 2018-2020 Technical Assistance Programme by establishing a clear framework for identifying areas for mainstreaming gender and for monitoring progress.

Gender and Forests The role of women as local indigenous knowledge holders in sustainable management of forests

For Nigeria to contribute to climate change mitigation through improved forest conservation and enhancing sustainable community livelihoods, the REDD+ mechanism has been activated using Cross River State (CRS) as a demonstration model. One of the priorities of REDD+ readiness in Nigeria and CRS has been identified as gender equality and social inclusion and thus steps have been taken to address gender issues by promoting a gender approach within REDD+ projects programmes. This Information Note attempts to address this issue by acknowledging and recognizing women’s critical efforts around sustainable management of forests. In this process, it highlights women’s use of indigenous knowledge systems to address climate change and its effect on communities and the vital role women play in forest conservation.

UN-REDD Case for Support: Forest Solutions to the Climate Emergency

UN-REDD is the flagship UN knowledge and advisory partnership on forests and climate to reduce forest emissions and enhance forest carbon stocks. It is the largest international provider of REDD+ assistance, supporting its 65 partner countries to protect their forests and achieve their climate and sustainable development goals.

Developing Capacity for National Forest Monitoring Systems UN-REDD Support and Innovative Solutions for Collecting, Managing and Reporting Forest Data

Forests are a crucial part of the climate solution if sustainably managed, and sustainable management requires up-to-date, unbiased, accurate and transparent information. • National forest monitoring systems (NFMS) are a foundation for national decision-making, monitoring the implementation and effects of forest policy actions, sustainable forest management, REDD+ and the enhanced transparency framework for action and support of the Paris Agreement under UNFCCC, through the provision of transparent, reliable, relevant, accessible and sustainable forest data.

Safeguarding People and Nature IN REDD+: Meeting the Safeguards Requirements under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

This brief synthesizes best practices on how to meet the safeguards information system requirements and produce summaries of information on safeguards based on a decade of collective country experience.

Forest Tenure and REDD+: Good Practice, Lessons Learned and Recommendations

Land and forest tenure systems greatly influence a country’s ability to reduce deforestation and forest degradation. Clear and secure tenure rights over forests are an enabling condition for REDD+ because they provide an incentive for sustainable management and conservation of forests. Tenure rights holders tend to have a stronger interest in the long-term sustainability of forest resources. With secure tenure rights comes a sense of ownership and responsibility, as well as a belief that maintenance of this productive resource will provide consistent benefits for both current and future generations.

Lessons learned from technical assistance on economic valuation, business analytics and mobilizing public and private finance

The UN-REDD Programme has supported many partner countries by conducting analyses that highlight the ways in which protecting, restoring and sustainably using forests contributes to the transition towards a green economy. A second area of work is centred on supporting partner countries through private sector engagement and the ways in which actions can be financed under the REDD+ mechanism in practice. The crosscutting topic of private sector engagement in the UN-REDD Programme is of particular relevance, given that most tropical deforestation and forest degradation is directly or indirectly caused by private individuals and entities, including farmers and companies of all sizes that produce, process and trade timber and agricultural commodities such as soy, palm oil, coffee, rubber, cocoa and beef cattle. Charcoal production and slashand-burn activities to meet subsistence needs also contribute to deforestation and forest degradation.

Gender And REDD+: Promoting Transformational Change And Innovation In REDD+ Action

To catalyse and promote a more integrated approach to gender, it has been placed as a crucial cross-cutting theme within UNREDD Programme’s strategic, monitoring and reporting frameworks. This info brief provides a comprehensive overview of the Programme's work towards mainstreaming gender equity. Gender equality and women’s empowerment continue to influence, shape and drive collective climate and human development efforts across the globe, including in REDD+ action.

10+ years of UN-REDD expertise and best practice;

10+ years of UN-REDD expertise and best practice; to the most current topics and knowledge from our broad range of Programme experts.

Linking REDD+, the Paris Agreement, Nationally Determined Contributions and the sustainable development goals

The Land Use, Land-Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF) sector can provide up to one third of the emission reductions needed to avoid the most severe consequences of climate change. • The conservation and sustainable management of forests can lead to significant reductions in emissions, with approximately 3.3 Gt CO2/year of cost-effective mitigation potential in the tropics alone, representing the most significant opportunity to increase the ambition of nationally determined contributions (NDCs) in many tropical forest countries.

National funding mechanisms for REDD+: lessons learned and success factors

• Funding mechanisms for REDD+ are the governance structures that countries put in place to gain access to and channel funding towards the policies and measures on the ground that address the drivers of deforestation. • Sources of private finance, including voluntary carbon markets, are playing an increasing role in leveraging public funds to support REDD+ implementation.

Recognizing and empowering indigenous peoples and Local Communities as critical partners in forest solutions to the climate emergency

UN-REDD has devised and implemented a wide range of policy instruments and development practices to help countries promote the participation and inclusion of indigenous peoples and local communities in forest-based climate solutions.

Annual Report 2021

Annual Report of the UN-REDD Programme Fund 2021

Annual Report 2020

Annual Report 2020 of the REDD-Programme Fund

2019 Annual Report

Annual Report of the UN-REDD Programme Fund

UN-REDD Global Info Brief: REDD+ Safeguards Information Systems: Moving from design to operation

The SIS is a required element for REDD+ implementation, agreed by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, and a prerequisite for results-based payments under this Convention and the Green Climate Fund. This Info Brief summarizes key considerations for putting a SIS into operation, based on initial country experiences. It aims to support the developing country government institutions, and their key partners in the design of the SIS or the actions to make it operational. Considerations are presented around four functional responsibilities, which are compile and manage, analyze and interpret, assure quality and validate, and disseminate and use safeguards information.

Step-by-step tutorials: Using spatial information to support decisions on safeguards and multiple benefits for REDD+

GIS training materials and tools have been developed for use in planning REDD+ activities that deliver multiple benefits. These resources are designed to assist technical staff to undertake spatial analysis to identify areas suitable for specific REDD+ policies and measures, and which are likely to yield multiple benefits. Materials have been developed for both QGIS (open-source) and ArcGIS software, according to the needs of individual partner countries. The materials continue to be developed and tested with country partners, with tutorials shared in different languages as available. 

Boreal Forests in a Changing Climate - Case Study: Mongolia

Boreal forests stretch across the northern reaches of the globe, from Europe to Russia to North America. They are the world’s largest biome, and make up 29% of the world’s total forest area, as well as 32% of global land-based carbon stocks. Compared with tropical forests, they store twice as much carbon per hectare, much of it in the soil. The Northern Hemisphere’s frozen soils and peatlands hold an estimated 1,700 billion tonnes of carbon – four times more than humans have emitted since the industrial revolution, and twice as much as is currently in the atmosphere. That means these forests play a key role in mitigating climate change – but at the same time, they are intensely affected by it: boreal forests are warming faster than any other forest biome. Read this info brief to find out more about the boreal forests in Mongolia, which are among the world's most important. Boreal forests stretch across Mongolia’s north. They cover 14.2 million hectares – 9 percent of the country – and provide important benefits for this developing nation, as well as an important source of livelihood.

Policy Brief - The Role of the Private Sector in REDD+: The Case for Engagement and Options for Intervention

This brief aims to encourage public sector REDD+ planners and practitioners to engage with and mobilize the private sector through a range of possible interventions. It identifies relevant private sector actors, and outlines their potential role, in the context of REDD+.

Economic and Financial Challenges to Scaling Up Sustainable Cocoa Production in Côte d'Ivoire - Executive Summary

Agroforestry can play a key role in addressing the critical situation of Ivorian forests. It would also ensure the future of cocoa farming, a key sector of the country’s economy. To that end, a national agroforestry definition including quantitative elements is needed to guide investments consistently with national policy objectives. It would also harmonize socio-economic and environmental objectives. This study highlights several elements that can guide the development of this definition. The latter should consider the factors that influence cocoa yields in the arbitration between environmental and economic costs and benefits for the different actors in the cocoa value chain.

Escenarios de Deforestación Futura en Panamá

La generación de escenarios de deforestación es imprescindible para entender áreas de alto riesgo y que meritan intervenciones tempranas. Si se asume que la implementación plena de un programa REDD+ que alcance todo el territorio del país puede tardar varios años en materializarse, entonces la secuencia geográfica de intervenciones, es decir, donde se debe implementar primero, toma gran valor. El avance de la deforestación en los próximos 5 a 10 años puede ser importante y por consiguiente también el daño ecosistémico que esta trae aparejado.

Dinámicas de Cambio de Uso de Suelo y Costos de Oportunidad en Panamá - Opciones para REDD+ y Sinergias con la Alianza por el Millón de Hectáreas

Este reporte presenta un análisis de las principales trayectorias de deforestación y degradación de bosques en Panamá, pérdidas y ganancias de carbono, y costos de oportunidad asociados. Se presenta también un análisis de sinergias entre REDD+ y la Alianza del Millón de Hectáreas, esta última una importante iniciativa del Gobierno de Panamá con capacidad de catalizar un cambio significativo en el paisaje rural del país. El reporte explora los ingresos brutos y netos de costos de oportunidad que REDD+ y la Alianza por el Millón de Hectáreas pudieran generar en concepto de pagos por resultados. El análisis toma todo el territorio panameño y se realiza principalmente desde una perspectiva social.

Escenarios de Deforestación Futura en Paraguay

El análisis histórico del uso y cambio de uso de la tierra, así como la preparación de escenarios espaciales futuros de deforestación y degradación del bosque servirán para identificar áreas prioritarias de acción, analizar los posibles impactos de políticas de desarrollo en la conservación de bosques y definir aquellas políticas de REDD+ que contribuyan a la estabilización de las fronteras de deforestación y que maximicen la suma de beneficios ambientales y sociales que se pueden generar a partir de un esquema REDD+.

Dinámicas de Cambio de Uso de Suelo y Costos de Oportunidad - Sinergias entre REDD+ y la Ley de Valoración y Retribución de Servicios Ambientales

Este reporte presenta un análisis de los principales cambios de uso de tierra ligados a la deforestación y degradación de bosques en Paraguay, pérdidas y ganancias de carbono, costos de oportunidad y beneficios asociados. Se presenta también un análisis de sinergias entre REDD+ y la Ley 3001/06 sobre Valoración y Retribución de Servicios Ambientales.

Using Spatial Analysis to Support REDD+ Land-Use Planning in Papua New Guinea: Strengthening Benefits for Biodiversity, Ecosystem Services and Livelihoods

Some of the analyses presented here were developed by national technicians in joint working sessions. This contributed to building national capacity in spatial analysis, access to relevant datasets and the use of decision support tools. As more and better data becomes available, the analyses presented here could be updated to provide better support for planning, including at a sub-national scale. We encourage follow-up work to build on the analyses presented here and to capitalize on the enhanced in country capacity for spatial analysis for evidence-based decision-making.

Integrated Land-Use Planning for REDD+: Lessons from Combining Spatial Analysis and Participatory Approaches at the Sub-National Level in Viet Nam

A National REDD+ Strategy or Action Plan is required for a country to be able to receive results-based payments under the UNFCCC. This strategy should set out the actions, often referred to as “policies and measures” (PAMs), and governance arrangements to ensure the achievement of a country’s REDD+ objectives.

Beneficios Múltiples de REDD+ en Costa Rica: Análisis Espaciales para Apoyar la Toma de Decisiones

Más allá de la mitigación del cambio climático, la puesta en práctica de REDD+ puede fortalecer y/o promover beneficios sociales y ambientales, siempre y cuando sus políticas, acciones y actividades (PAMs, por sus siglas en inglés) sean diseñadas adecuadamente. Estos beneficios son conocidos como beneficios múltiples y pudieran hacer que la implementación de REDD+ en Costa Rica sea más atractiva para las partes interesadas relevantes (ej. actores con acceso al PPSA), especialmente si, al mismo tiempo, los riesgos asociados a esta iniciativa son evitados o mitigados. Por esta razón, el país se encuentra evaluando los beneficios múltiples que pudieran ser potenciados por la ejecución de la Estrategia Nacional REDD+ (EN-REDD+) y su Plan de Implementación. Este esfuerzo favorece el abordaje de las salvaguardas sociales y ambientales establecidas por la Convención Marco de las Naciones Unidas sobre el Cambio Climático.

Spatial Analysis: A Tool for Integrated Land Use Planning for REDD+

This brief brings together country experiences to identify the critical success factors in the development of spatial analyses to inform REDD+ implementation, and their uptake into national REDD+ strategy and implementation plans. It aims to provide information and lessons learned to those countries that are still preparing their national REDD+ strategies or action plans (NS/APs), as well as to those who have already approved a NS/AP and that are now in the process of developing investment or implementation plans for specific REDD+ jurisdictions, policies or measures.

Technical Resource Series 2: Country Approaches to REDD+ Safeguards: A Global Review of Initial Experiences and Emerging Lessons

Second issue in a new line of technical resource publications on safeguards, this review attempts to capture and synthesize the state-of-the-art knowledge on country approaches to REDD+ safeguards, with the primary aim of facilitating information exchange among REDD+ countries. The findings of this initial global review were informed by a consultative process engaging a number of countries who have made progress with their country approaches to safeguards.

REDD+ Safeguards Information Systems: Practical Design Considerations

2017 v2.0 update of the original 2015 technical brief. Summarises the key practical design considerations for 'Safeguard Information Systems' (SIS), in line with UNFCCC requirements, discussed in more detail in the corresponding safeguards Technical Resource Series document (No. 1).

Collective tenure rights: realizing the potential for REDD+ and sustainable development

Launched at the UN Climate Action Summit in New York, this brief sets out the case for securing collecting tenure rights in the context of REDD+ and sustainable development presents success stories (positive impact of secure collective tenure rights) and proposes a range of measures for policymakers to progress in this domain. It pays particular attention to the links with and contribution to national strategies to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+) and nationally determined contributions (NDCs).

10th Consolidated Annual Progress Report of the UN-REDD Programme Fund

The 2018 Annual Report presents the results of the UN-REDD Programme between January and December 2018, in the context of the considerable cumulative accomplishments of its partner countries over the past decade, since the programme’s launch in 2008. With partner countries making progress on REDD+ readiness, the UN-REDD Programme has increasingly focused on responding to country demands and needs for technical assistance in implementing REDD+ and supporting commitments under the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change. As of December 2018, the UN-REDD Programme had enabled 65 partner countries across Asia and the Pacific, Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean to make significant progress on REDD+ readiness and implementation.

9th Consolidated Annual Progress Report of the UN-REDD Programme Fund

The 2017 Annual Report presents the results of the UN-REDD Programme between January and December 2017, in the context of key cumulative achievements since the Programme’s launch in 2008. With partner countries making progress on REDD+ readiness, the UN-REDD Programme has increasingly focused on country demand for technical assistance for REDD+ implementation and support to commitments under the 2015 Paris Agreement on Climate Change. As of December 2017, the UN-REDD Programme had enabled 64 partner countries across Asia and the Pacific, Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean to make significant progress on REDD+ readiness and implementation.

Technical Brief #1 v2.0: REDD+ Safeguards Information Systems: practical design considerations

2017 v2.0 update of the original 2015 technical brief. Summarises the key practical design considerations for 'safeguard information systems' (SIS), in line with UNFCCC requirements, discussed in more detail in the corresponding safeguards

Info Brief Latin America South-South Exchange: Sustainable Livestock and its relationship with forests

The United Nations Collaborative Programme on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Developing Countries, with the support of the Government of Paraguay, represented by the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development (MADES) and the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG), organized the South-South Exchange “Sustainable livestock and its relationship with forests” from 6 to 7 November in Asunción, Paraguay. The workshop sought to create a space for exchange and dialogue among producers, government institutions, aid agencies, industry, civil society organizations, financial institutions and traders. The objective was to contribute to the analysis of livestock activity, with a particular focus on the meat chain and its link with international climate change goals, commitments and agreements. This info brief gives an overview of the discussions.

Infobrief: Nesting: Reconciling REDD+ at multiple scales (An Asia-Pacific perspective) 

This policy brief examines the key issues that countries face in making sure REDD+ efforts at various scales contribute to the same goal – supporting sustainable development, while reducing overall emissions (or increasing removals) from forests to mitigate climate change. As nesting is still a nascent concept, lessons from its early experiences are not yet widespread. The objective of this paper is to share some real-world examples from the Asia-Pacific region to inspire other countries developing their REDD+ efforts to best reconcile local actions across the landscape that can contribute to national mitigation.

Jurisdictional Approaches to REDD+ in Africa: emerging lessons

This info brief captures the UN-REDD Africa Regional Knowledge Exchange 2018 “REDD+ Implementation at Scale: Emerging Lessons on Jurisdictional Approaches and Linkages with National Policy Frameworks” that was held on 2–3 October 2018 at the United Nations Office in Nairobi, Kenya.

Info Brief: Summaries of Information: How to demonstrate REDD+ safeguards are being addressed and respected

This UN-REDD Programme info brief elaborates on UNFCCC guidance to achieve transparency, consistency, comprehensiveness and effectiveness when informing on how all the UNFCCC REDD+ safeguards, also known as the “Cancun safeguards”, are being addressed and respected. Drawing on key elements of and experiences from countries’ approaches to safeguards, the brief indicates possible content of summaries of safeguards information.

Technical Brief: Conceptual framework for country approaches to safeguards

Country approaches to safeguards have advanced in recent years and provide a strategic opportunity to build on existing governance arrangements and processes, with potential benefits beyond REDD+. Common elements of such approaches are emerging and are presented in this Technical Brief as a unified concept.

Listening to the Forest in Panama. UN-REDD Programme Active Listening Process - Women’s Channel

Spanish with English Sub-titles: During 2014 and 2015 Panama carried out an “active listening” process with key stakeholders on the situation of the forest and the challenges to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation looking at the participatory construction of Panama’s National REDD+ Strategy. The dialogue included several key stakeholder groups; including a specific channel for women. This video shows the voices and opinions of women from indigenous, afro-descendant and campesino communities of Panama.

Ecuador: Successfully positioned to implement its REDD+ Action Plan

With its REDD+ readiness capacities now in place, Ecuador is now positioned to implement its REDD+ Action Plan, which is built on the country’s commitment to fight climate change and promote sustainable rural development. Through the implementation of this plan, Ecuador will demonstrate its emissions reductions from deforestation and gain access to results-based payments.

Série de Ressources Techniques: Considérations d’ordre pratique sur la conception des systèmes d’information sur les garanties REDD+

Cette ressource technique – la première d'une nouvelle série de publications techniques consacrées à l'information pratique en matière de conception de systèmes de sauvegarde des données (SSD) conformes aux exigences de la CCNUCC – traite des questions suivantes: Qu'est-ce qu'un SSD? Comment concevoir un SSD? Quel est le coût de la mise en place et de l'exploitation d'un SSD?

Practical Experiences of LAC towards the Implementation of REDD+

The exchange outlined in this report provided a framework for strengthening South-South cooperation in the Latin American and the Caribbean (LAC) region. The meeting served to clarify the links between the four pillars, and was also helpful for identifying opportunities to enhance coordination and consistency in the REDD+ preparatory processes at the national level while also promoting joint discussion with a view to studying possible solutions.

Women’s Inclusion in REDD+ in The Philippines Lessons from Good Practices in Forest, and Other Natural Resources Management Sectors

This study is a part of the Joint Initiative of the USAID-funded LEAF Project, WOCAN, and the UN-REDD Programme to investigate practical entry points for women’s inclusion in Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) policies and practices. It explores the current status and implementation of policies and practices related to gender equality in forestry and other natural resource management sectors in the Philippines, and their relation to REDD+ initiatives. An effort was made to identify the elements that prevent the inclusion of women in REDD+ in the Philippines, as well as the factors that enable their inclusion in policies and practices. Given the emerging and unfolding state of REDD+, an exploration of gender issues in REDD+ was tied to the overall status of women’s inclusion in the broader NRM sector. Data for this study was collected using desk reviews, key-informant interviews and field site interactions at Atimonan, Quezon. The early findings were then presented through a national dialogue for further discussion and validation, which led to identification of practical entry points and key recommendations for improving effectiveness of natural resource management and REDD+ through greater inclusion of women in forest policies and programs.

Women’s Inclusion in REDD+ in Cambodia Lessons from Good Practices in Forest, Agriculture and Other Natural Resources Management Sectors

The study is a part of the Joint Initiative of WOCAN, the UN-REDD Programme and USAID-funded LEAF Project to investigate practical entry points for women’s inclusion in Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) policies and practices. It aims to explore the current status and effectiveness of policies and practices related to gender integration in forestry, REDD+ and other natural resources management sectors in Cambodia. It analyses the current policies and practices, identifies the gaps between policies and practices, determines the factors that enable the inclusion of women in the policies and practices and identifies elements that prevent inclusion and effective implementation.

Scoping Study of Good Practices for Strengthening Women’s Inclusion in Forest and Other Natural Resource Management Sectors

This scoping report examine\'s the diversity of good practices within the forest and other land-use sectors on women’s inclusion, with a view to draw out key enabling conditions that have facilitated women to participate and benefit from policies, institutions and practices −both formal and informal at all levels.

BOLETÍN DE POLÍTICAS: Incentivos fiscales a la producción agrícola: opciones para forjar una compatibilidad con REDD+

Este Boletín de políticas describe opciones para forjar una compatibilidad entre los incentivos fiscales a la producción agrícola y REDD+.

Policy Brief: Fiscal incentives for agricultural commodity production: Options to forge compatibility with REDD+

This Policy Brief outlines options for forging compatibility between fiscal incentives for agricultural commodity production and REDD+.

Enfoques a nivel de pais sobre las salvaguardas

Breve resumen introductorio de un marco conceptual para enfoques nacionales a las salvaguardias de REDD+.

Les approches pays en matiere de garanties

Brève introduction présentant un cadre conceptuel pour les approches par pays des sauvegardes REDD+.

Nota informativa: Enfoque nacionale de salvaguardas: Experiencias iniciales y lecciones emergentes

Nota informativa del Programa ONU-REDD en la que se resumen las conclusiones de la publicación completa de recursos técnicos sobre los enfoques nacionales de salvaguardias. En este análisis se sintetizan los últimos conocimientos sobre enfoques nacionales respecto a las salvaguardias de REDD+, con el objetivo principal de facilitar el intercambio de información entre países de REDD+. Las conclusiones de este análisis general inicial están basadas en un proceso consultivo en el que participaron diversos países que han logrado avances en sus enfoques nacionales de salvaguardias. (El documento completo de recursos técnicos correspondiente está disponible en línea en http://www.unredd.net/index.php?option=com_docman&view=list&slug=technical-resources-series&Itemid=134)

Note d'Information: Les approches nationales en matière de garanties : Expériences initiales et leçons émergentes

Note d'information du Programme ONU-REDD résumant les conclusions de la publication technique intégrale sur les approches par pays en matière de sauvegardes. Cette ressource offre une synthèse des connaissances les plus récentes sur les approches par pays en matière de sauvegardes REDD+, avec pour objectif principal de faciliter l'échange d\'informations entre pays REDD+. Les conclusions de cette première étude mondiale intègrent les résultats d'une consultation réalisée auprès de plusieurs pays ayant chacun enregistré des progrès en matière de sauvegardes. (La version intégrale du document correspondant à cette ressource technique est disponible en ligne à l\'adresse http://www.unredd.net/index.php?option=com_docman&view=list&slug=technical-resources-series&Itemid=134)

Guidance Note on Gender Sensitive REDD+

This note has been prepared as a guide for those involved in REDD+ efforts at the local, national, regional or global level. The overall objective is to promote gender sensitive REDD+ processes and to support UN-REDD partner countries and stakeholders in the preparation, development and implementation of gender sensitive REDD+ strategies.

Business Case for Mainstreaming Gender in REDD+

Promoting a human rights-based approach to development requires UN-REDD partner institutions to ensure that their support for REDD+ promotes good practices and does not perpetuate or exacerbate existing inequalities between women and men. Toward this end, “the Business case for Mainstreaming Gender in REDD+” demonstrates why the unique role of women in protecting and managing forests— and ensuring their equal access to resources—is an important component for a more equitable, effective and efficient REDD+. Through this effort we hope to establish a greater base of evidence that will help policy-makers, practitioners and others understand the critical influence that gender-differentiated needs, uses and knowledge have on REDD+ policy and programming on the ground.

Info Brief: Banking on REDD+: Can bank and investor risk policies on soft commodities benefit REDD+?

This Info Brief assesses whether and how soft commodity risk policies by banks and investors could potentially benefit UN-REDD countries to achieve REDD+ results based on an analysis of risk policies from a range of financial institutions. This brief has been produced in parallel with a report by UNEP (2015) titled ‘Bank and Investor Risk Policies on Soft Commodities\' that approaches the same topic from the angle of the financial industry, providing greater clarity what criteria banks and investors can adopt in risk policies to reduce the probability of clients having significant impacts on (tropical) forest ecosystems from soy, palm oil and beef production.

REDD+ Academy Learning Journals

This comprehensive REDD+ learning resource addresses 12 key topics in REDD+: Forest, Carbon Sequestration and Climate Change; Understanding REDD+ and the UNFCCC; Drivers of Deforestation and Forest Degradation; National Strategies and Action Plans; National Forest Monitoring Systems; Forest Reference Emission Levels; Policies and Measures for REDD+ Implementation; REDD+ Safeguards; REDD+ Finance; Approaches for Allocation of Incentives; Stakeholder Engagement; Good Governance.

Country Approaches to Safeguards Tool (CAST)

The Country Approach to Safeguards Tool (CAST) provides countries with an Excel-based, interactive tool to plan and review the development of their approaches to REDD+ safeguards. CAST is designed to be voluntarily applied by REDD+ countries in order to support their planning efforts for activities related to safeguards and SIS, carried out in response to the relevant UNFCCC decisions.

Benefit and Risk Tool (BeRT)

The Benefits and Risks Tool (BeRT) supports REDD+ countries to: a) assess the social and environmental risks and benefits associated with potential REDD+ actions (also known as candidate Policies and Measures, PAMs) and b) analyse how existing policies, laws and regulations (PLRs) address the Cancun safeguards.

Informe Técnico: Sistemas de Información de Salvaguardas (SIS): Consideraciones prácticas de diseño

Informe técnico en el que se resume la publicación completa de recursos técnicos relativa a las consideraciones prácticas de diseño de los SIS, disponible aquí: http://www.unredd.net/index.php?option=com_docman&view=list&slug=technical-resources-series&Itemid=134

Country Approaches to Safeguards Flyer

Concise introductory summary of a conceptual framework for country approaches to REDD+ safeguards.

Country Approaches to REDD+ Safeguards: A Global Review of Initial Experiences and Emerging Lessons

This technical resource publication presents an initial global overview of country perspectives, experiences and lessons learned that may be used to inform better safeguards processes and practices in the future.

Sistemas de información de las salvaguardas de REDD+: consideraciones prácticas de diseño

Este recurso técnico, el primero de una nueva serie de publicaciones de recursos técnicos, contiene consideraciones prácticas de diseño para los sistemas de información sobre salvaguardias (SIS) en armonía con las necesidades de la Convención Marco de las Naciones Unidas sobre el Cambio Climático (CMNUCC) y aborda las siguientes cuestiones: ¿Cómo es un SIS? ¿Cómo empiezo a diseñar uno? ¿Cuánto costará crearlo y mantenerlo en funcionamiento?

Women’s Inclusion in REDD+ in Sri Lanka Lessons from Good Practices in Forest, Agriculture and Other Natural Resources Management Sectors

The study is a part of the Joint Initiative of WOCAN, the UN-REDD Programme and USAID-funded LEAF Project to investigate practical entry points for women’s inclusion in Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) policies and practices. It explores the current status of policies and practices related to gender integration in forestry and other natural resource management sectors in Sri Lanka, and their relation to REDD+ initiatives. It briefly analyses the current policies and practices, indicating the gaps between policies and practice. An effort is being made to identify the elements that prevent the inclusion of women in REDD+ in Sri Lanka, as well as the factors that enable their inclusion in policies and practices.

Technical considerations for Forest Reference Emission Level and/or Forest Reference Level construction for REDD+ under the UNFCCC

The aim of this document is to support countries seeking to develop a REDD+ Forest Reference Emission Level and/or Forest Reference Level (FREL/FRL) under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The document provides a structural overview of UNFCCC decisions related to FREL/FRLs, summarizing the guidance provided through these decisions and translating it into elements countries need to consider in a FREL/FRL submission to the UNFCCC.

Considérations techniques relatives à l’établissement de niveaux d’émissions de référence pour les forêts et/ou niveaux de référence pour les forêts dans le contexte de la REDD+ au titre de la CCNUCC

Consideraciones técnicas para la elaboración de Niveles de referencia de emisiones forestales/Niveles de referencia forestales en el marco de la CMNUCC

Emerging approaches to Forest Reference Emission Levels and/or Forest Reference Levels for REDD+

This publication summarizes Forest Reference Level construction approaches developed by Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, the DRC, Ghana, Guyana, Mexico, Nepal, the RoC and Vietnam; the publication hopes other countries can learn from and get inspired by these pilots in FRL development. The FRLs in the publication are developed for demonstration activities but the Annex to the document also reports on UNFCCC submissions (Publication is intended to be updated with future submissions).

UN-REDD Programme donors and other partners

REDD+ Safeguards Information Systems: Practical Design Considerations

First in a new line of technical resource publications, offering practical design considerations for safeguard information systems (SIS) in line with UNFCCC requirements, this technical resource addresses the following questions: What does a SIS look like? How do I go about designing one? How much will it cost to both build and to operate?

Technical Brief: REDD+ Safeguards Information Systems: practical design considerations

Technical brief summarizing the full Technical Resource publication on SIS design considerations, available here: http://www.unredd.net/index.php?option=com_docman&view=list&slug=technical-resources-series&Itemid=134

Info Brief: Country Approaches to Safeguards: Initial Experiences and Emerging Lessons

UN-REDD Programme Info Brief summarizing the findings of the full Technical Resource publication on country approaches to safeguards. This review synthesizes the state-of-the-art knowledge on country approaches to REDD+ safeguards, with the primary aim of facilitating information exchange among REDD+ countries. The findings of this initial global review were informed by a consultative process engaging a number of countries who have made progress with their country approaches to safeguards. (Full corresponding technical resource document is available online at http://www.unredd.net/index.php?view=document&alias=15044-technical-resource-series-2-country-approaches-to-redd-safeguards-a-global-review-of-initial-experiences-and-emerging-lessons&category_slug=technical-resources-series&layout=default&option=com_docman&Itemid=134)

Document Technique: Système d’information sur les garanties : considérations d’ordre pratique sur la conception

Note technique résumant la publication technique intégrale sur les considérations en matière de conception de SSD, disponible ici: http://www.unredd.net/index.php?option=com_docman&view=list&slug=technical-resources-series&Itemid=134