Country approach to safeguards

A country- (primarily government-) led process to respond to international REDD+ safeguard requirements (UNFCCC Cancun safeguards and other safeguards as appropriate), in a way that is harmonious with national policy goals, by building on existing governance arrangements. These governance arrangements used to operationalise the Cancun (and other) safeguards, comprise three core elements: 1. Policies, laws and regulations (PLRs) which define,on paper, what needs to be done in order to support implementation of REDD+ actions in a manner consistent with Cancun (and other) safeguards, i.e. how safeguards are being addressed. PLRs are primarily codified statutory ordinance, but can also include corporate environmental and social responsibility policies, industry standards and customary norms of indigenous peoples and local communities. 2. Institutional arrangements - the mandates, procedures and capacities to ensure that the relevant PLRs are actually implemented in practice, i.e. how safeguards are beingrespected. Such arrangements are typically institutionalised within public, private or civil society sectors, but may also involve arrangements to strengthen the individual capacities of citizens, including, including indigenous peoples and local communities, to implement and enforce relevant PLRs.3. Information systems which collect and make available information on how REDD+ safeguards are being addressed and respected throughout REDD+ implementation.