Zambia’s forest and environment stakeholders including UNEP and FAO officials pose for a group photo outside the event venue
Since becoming a UN-REDD partner country in 2010, Zambia has made significant progress in meeting the key elements of the Warsaw Framework for REDD+, a foundation critical for accessing results-based climate finance. Milestones include the publication of a national REDD+ Strategy in 2015 and the submission of Zambia’s Forest Reference Emissions Level (FREL) to the UN Framework Convention in Climate Change (UNFCCC) in 2016, later updated in 2019. By 2017, the country had developed its first Safeguards Information System (SIS), followed by the submission of its first Summary of Information (SOI) on safeguards to the UNFCCC in 2019.
With continued support from the UN-REDD Programme through the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Zambia prepared its second SOI in 2024, which is scheduled for submission later this year. Over the past five years, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has also played a critical role in strengthening the southern African country’s Measurement, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) systems of carbon accounting, most notably through updates to the National Forest Monitoring System (NFMS) and the introduction of sample-based area estimates to improve forest data accuracy.
Following the 2021 launch of the Lowering Emissions by Accelerating Forest Finance (LEAF) Coalition, Zambia has expressed interest in participating by offering verified emissions reductions. The LEAF Coalition sources high-integrity forest carbon credits through the Architecture for REDD+ Transactions (ART), which operates under the REDD+ Environmental Excellence Standard (TREES).
UNEP/UN-REDD Africa Technical Lead Mami Rasamoelina reiterating UN-REDD’s continued support to the country to ensure they unlock climate finance
Recognizing the importance of understanding what ART-TREES entails and its implications, the Government of Zambia requested support from UN-REDD to facilitate training before fully committing to participation. In response, UN-REDD via UNEP and FAO via Aims4Forests conducted a four-day training workshop in Lusaka from 2–5 June 2025, bringing together over 40 participants daily from both public and private sectors. This marked the first time Zambia’s MRV, and safeguards stakeholders convened jointly, laying the groundwork for stronger inter-agency collaboration moving forward.
In his opening remarks, Sitwala Wamunyima, Director of the Department of Forestry at Zambia’s Ministry of Green Economy and Environment, encouraged participants to use the training to deepen their understanding of the ART-TREES framework in its entirety. He emphasized that compliance with international standards would enhance Zambia’s ability to attract climate finance, implement impactful forest-related projects, and support the country’s broader vision of green economic development and climate resilience.
Sitwala Wamunyima, Director of Forestry at the Ministry of Green Economy and Environment opening the training
On the technical side, Wesley Roberts, FAO Forestry Inventories and MRV Specialist, delivered in-depth sessions covering ART-TREES requirements for MRV systems. Topics included the quantification and monitoring of greenhouse gas emissions and removals, development of monitoring plans, management of activity data and emission factors, and preparation of TREES Monitoring Reports. The sessions also addressed crucial concepts such as verification processes, leakage, and reversals—integral to ensuring environmental integrity.
FAO Forestry Inventories and MRV Specialist, Wesley Roberts engages with participants on MRV for carbon accounting
Sarah Beard, UNEP Safeguards Specialist, led training on social and environmental safeguards. She underscored the vital role that safeguards play—not only in meeting international UNFCCC reporting obligations under the Cancún Safeguards—but also in ensuring the high-integrity implementation needed to access climate finance. For mechanisms like ART-TREES, the Green Climate Fund, and jurisdictional carbon markets, robust safeguards systems are non-negotiable. Through interactive sessions, participants deepened their understanding of Zambia’s SIS and SOI and how these systems help ensure REDD+ actions deliver equitable and lasting social and environmental benefits, while keeping the forests standing and mitigating climate change.
UNEP Safeguards Specialist, Sarah Beard discussing safeguards standards with participants
UNEP WCMC Programme Officer, Nature-Based Solutions Bede Akorah making a presentation on good practices and challenges of Safeguards Information System (SIS)
By the conclusion of the training, participants had developed a strong grasp of the Cancun Safeguards and their application through Zambia’s SIS and SOI. They also gained a better understanding of how ART-TREES builds upon and aligns with key international frameworks, including the Paris Agreement, the Warsaw Framework, and the Cancún Safeguards—positioning Zambia more strategically to pursue high-integrity forest finance through mechanisms such as- but not limited to- LEAF.
Looking ahead
As a next step, stakeholders agreed to reflect on the training outcomes and continue internal consultations to determine Zambia’s readiness and interest in pursuing full alignment with the ART-TREES standard. Regardless of the final decision, the workshop significantly enhanced national capacities for managing REDD+ safeguards and MRV systems, contributing to Zambia’s long-term efforts to access and sustain climate finance while achieving its forest and climate goals.
