GCP News

The Indian Law Resource Center has called on the UN Permanent forum on Indigenous Issues to ensure that the World Bank implements the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

At the 11^th Session of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, which is taking place this week in New York, Leonardo Crippa, a Senior Attorney with the Indian Law Resource Center made a statement pointing out that, “There is a need of stronger safeguard measures to protect...

Two critical determinants of REDD+ success moving forward are: (1) developing and implementing REDD+ safeguard information systems (SIS) and (2) fostering effective private sector engagement in the REDD+ value chain.

To explore these issues, an expert meeting was held in Nairobi, Kenya, on April 2–3, 2012, under the Building REDD+ Policy Capacity for Developing Country Negotiators and Land Managers project. The workshop was delivered by IISD and the ASB Partnership for...

The UN-REDD Programme presented its Social and Environmental Principles and Criteria (SEPC), as well as its work on Multiple Benefits for REDD+ and the Participatory Governance Assessments (PGA) for REDD+ at a recent consultation workshop organized by the Philippines-Swiss REDD+ initiative. The Ateneo School of Government and HELVETAS Swiss Intercooperation hosted a multi-stakeholder safeguards consultation workshop, with a focus on biodiversity and governance, in the Philippines from 31...

The UNFCCC Secretariat has released a submission from the US containing its views on potential additional guidance on informing on how all safeguards are being addressed and respected in relation to methodological guidance for activities relating to reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation and the role of conservation, sustainable management of forests and enhancement of forest carbon stocks in developing countries (REDD+).

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The Conference of the Parties (COP), in its decision 12/CP.17, paragraph 3, agreed that developing country Parties undertaking the activities referred to in decision 1/CP.16, paragraph 70, should provide a summary of information on how all of the safeguards referred to in decision 1/CP.16, appendix I, are being addressed and respected throughout the implementation of the activities. In the same decision, paragraph 6, the COP requested the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological...

Environmental and social safeguards and accurate information on environmental and social impacts are essential for the long-term success of activities for reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation and the role of conservation, sustainable management of forests and enhancement of forest carbon stocks in developing countries (REDD+) under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). In decision X/33, the Executive Secretary...

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) defines safeguards for REDD+ in Decision 1/CP.16 made in Copenhagen in 2010. Decision 1/CP.17 (Durban, 2011) reaffirms the importance of REDD+ safeguards and requests all developing countries undertaking REDD+ actions to report against the safeguards in the future. They address a broad range of social and environmental concerns ranging from biodiversity conservation to forest people’s rights together with the goals to...

Funding forest protection in developing countries poses numerous financial risks: from inefficient allocation through to mismanagement of funds, misappropriation and corruption.

Financial flows from donors to developing countries under the REDD+ forest protection mechanism will need to increase significantly over the coming years if greenhouse gas emissions from forest loss are to be reduced. Detailed measures will be needed to ensure effective, transparent and...

This brief outlines the international commitments to biodiversity in REDD+, the risks and opportunities, and international and national options for promoting biodiversity in REDD+. By reporting on the risks and raising awareness about the positive measures taken to conserve biodiversity as parts of international, national and sub-national REDD+ activities, standards and safeguards; FCA and SNV seek to ensure that the new REDD+ mechanism contributes to the long-term conservation and...

This spring, Parties to the UNFCCC must decide whether or not to continue discussions on the REDD+ safeguard information system (SIS) guidance that started in Durban. In particular, Parties have the option of developing further guidance related to the “transparency, consistency, comprehensiveness and effectiveness of the information” in the SIS. Parties may not wish to reopen this discussion given the many topics that still need to be addressed to make REDD+ operational, but not re-opening...