The UN-REDD Programme empowers countries to manage their REDD processes by assisting them to identify ways to address their specific drivers of deforestation; develop methods and tools for measuring and monitoring greenhouse gas emissions; facilitate the participation of national stakeholders; and access financial and technical assistance.
The UN-REDD Programme is assisting developing countries to prepare and implement national REDD strategies and mechanisms. Designed collaboratively by national stakeholders and country-led, national UN-REDD Programmes are informed by the technical expertise of FAO, UNDP and UNEP. Priority is given to developing sustainable national multisectoral approaches with broad stakeholder engagement that promote equitable outcomes and to ensuring that countries use reliable methodologies to assess emission reductions. In some countries, key elements of delivering emission reductions – such as REDD payment structuring and distribution options - will also be tested.
The first set of nine UN-REDD Programme pilot countries are in Africa: Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania and Zambia; in Asia and the Pacific: Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and Viet Nam; in Latin America and the Caribbean: Bolivia, Panama and Paraguay. To date, six national programmes have been presented to the UN-REDD Programme Policy Board and had their budget allocations approved, while the remaining three countries are planning to submit their proposal in the next few months. In October 2009, the UN-REDD Programme Policy Board granted observer status to five new countries: Argentina, Cambodia, Ecuador, Nepal and Sri Lanka.
While the current funding is programmed for the nine initial “quick start” countries, observer countries to the UN-REDD Policy Board can take advantage of many other benefits, such as networking, knowledge sharing and creation, global and regional workshops and, last but not least, access to the UN-REDD Programme’s online community of practice through a dedicated workspace.
National REDD Focal points: Downloadable form to participate in the UN-REDD Programme.