Viet Nam Infobrief Series: Viet Nam’s approach to safeguards

This is part of a series of info briefs produced in 2019 on the main lessons learned from Viet Nam's National REDD+ Programme. REDD+ has the potential to deliver social and environmental benefits that go beyond mitigating climate change, but REDD+ actions could also entail some potential risks.In order to minimize these risks, and at the same time enhance the potential benefits, seven safeguards, known as the “Cancun safeguards” (See Box 1) are in place that must be addressed and respected throughout the implementation of REDD+ actions. At the end of 2018, the Government of Viet Nam completed two key United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) requirements relating to safeguards: it submitted its first summary of information on safeguards, outlining how the country will address and respect the safeguards throughout REDD+ implementation, and also released an online safeguards information systems (SIS). Viet Nam became the first country in the Asia-Pacific region to complete the Warsaw Framework for REDD+ after fulfilling these safeguards requirements, which now make the country eligible to receive REDD+ results-based payments.