Countries are required to comply with seven safeguards articulated in the UNFCCC COP 16 Cancun Agreement: 1) complement national forest programs and international conventions and agreements; 2) maintain transparent governance; 3) respect knowledge and rights of indigenous people and local communities; 4) obtain effective participation in REDD+ design and implementation; 5) promote forest conservation and other environmental and social co-benefits; 6) address risks of reversals; and 7) reduce leakage.
The Warsaw REDD+ Framework requires that countries establish SIS in order for them to be eligible for results-based payments, which has placed safeguards higher on international and national REDD+ agendas and drawn more attention to future financing requirements of REDD+. Additionally, there are high expectations that the new climate agreement will include REDD+. The proposed discussion forum provides a timely opportunity to synthesize lessons learned from early REDD+ SIS implementation, and think ahead to monitoring and supporting REDD+ safeguards in the post-2020 climate regime.
Key questions addressed?
- What are the key advances and challenges in the implementation of Safeguards Information Systems (SIS) by REDD+ countries?
- How can existing monitoring systems and datasets be leveraged to support SIS implementation?
- Who will pay for SIS? How could these systems allow countries to access emerging financing opportunities associated with REDD+?
Background reading:
Experiences, Challenges and Lessons Learned about REDD+ Safeguards Information Systems (SIS).
A Framework for Integrating Biodiversity Concerns into National REDD+ Programmes.
Forests, Land Use and the Green Climate Fund: Open for Business?
Lessons learned for credible and effective REDD+ Safeguards Information Systems
