Publications

Design of an R-coefficient for REDD+ benefit distribution systems– the R-coefficient introduces a formula for the delivery of environmental and social co-benefits through the benefit distribution system for REDD+.

Well designed and targeted local Benefit Distribution Systems (BDS) will be vital to the success of REDD+. SNV has designed an approach based on its experience in Vietnam which provides an iterative process for the design of local level pro-poor approaches to BDS. At the centre of the this approach are methods for ensuring the inclusiveness of local actors in decisions around the benefit types and timing, and the need for local inclusion in governance frameworks. This approach provides lessons to inform the future development of effective BDS in Vietnam and for practitioners introducing REDD+ in other countries. It will be refined and improved over time as more experiences from REDD+ emerge both within Vietnam, and abroad.

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SNV has been working with the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development in the Cat Tien Landscape, in Lam Dong Province, Vietnam since 2009. Historically the area was subject to high levels of deforestation, though more recently this has been reduced. However, planned deforestation and gradual encroachment degrading forest areas remains prevalent. In order to design possible REDD+ interventions a study was carried to better understand the socio-economic conditions and drivers of deforestation and forest degradation with a number of identified districts within Lam Dong Province.

For Vietnam and Lao PDR, which contain large areas of degraded forests the issue of forest carbon stock enhancement should be an integral part of any National REDD+ Strategy.

The ENRICH project aims to advance understanding of forest carbon stock enhancement as part of any future REDD+ Agreement through exploring the technical and economic feasibility of different forest carbon stock enhancement strategies in pilot sites, across Vietnam and Lao PDR.

Please read all further details in the leaflet.

This REDD+ feasibility and scoping study is based on a short and condensed stakeholder consultation process with key agencies and officials of a series of government institutions, NGO’s and multilateral organizations. The constructive, critical and sometimes blunt insights, views and comments on REDD+ potential and feasibility in Bhutan are highly appreciated and are essential building stones of this report. The scope of this study is to keep momentum in introducing REDD+ in Bhutan and to asses the nations capacity and knowledge base, essential for compliance and voluntary market entrance, combined with an overall analysis if it is worthwhile to commit to the REDD mechanism, weighing its advantages and disadvantages, scoping the potential and possible impact and contribution to the development goals of RGoB. The study started with a stakeholder consultation of all key agencies and organisations from December 7 to 16 2010, seeking their expert knowledge and insights and benefited from the feedback of many stakeholders participating in the debriefing of the key findings and recommendations on December 20th 2010.

Bhutan has a unique position, as a developing country with a very high forest cover and a history of limited deforestation and forest degradation. Bhutan has committed itself to become carbon neutral to negative and intends to safeguard the carbon sequestration function of its forests. It became a member of the UN-REDD programme in April 2010 and is especially interested in the opportunities from REDD+ that will include financial compensation for the role of conservation, sustainable management of forests and enhancement of carbon stock in developing countries. This scoping study explores the feasibility of different REDD+ options for Bhutan.

SNV hired Matthew Ogonowski, an independent consultant based in Washington, DC who has been closely involved in the development of REDD+, to provide further insights on each of these topics. Mr. Ogonowski is now employed at the US Agency for International Development (USAID) Global Climate Change Office. The opinions and views expressed in this paper are those of the author and not necessarily those of USAID and SNV.

The ForCES project will contribute to the overall goal that forest biodiversity is conserved through a process where voluntary FSC certification incorporates expanded and enhanced global and national forest management standards which are applied to emerging markets for biodiversity conservation and other ecosystems services.

Please read all further details in this leaflet.

SNV in collaboration with Rainforest Alliance and WWF carried out a study to evaluate the feasibility of developing a forest carbon project in Quang Tri Province following an Improved Forest Management project type and implemented by private smallholder farmers growing acacia plantations which could potentially be certified to FSC standards. The feasibility study: (i) determined the amount of carbon sequestered when rotation lengths for acacia plantations are extended and FSC practices adopted: (ii) analysed the potential of carbon credit generation from such a project with respect to the VCS and CCBA standards; and (iii) carried out a cost/benefit analysis for the plantations in earning FSC certification and also for earning FSC certification plus developing a carbon credit project. Recommendations on next steps are provided.

Development and Natural Resources & Environment to introduce mechanisms to operationalise REDD+ biodiversity safeguards and a participatory monitoring framework as part of the national Safeguard Information System. Lessons learnt will be fed into on-going international climate negotiations at the UNFCCC and the Convention on Biological Diversity.

Please find all further details in this leaflet.

This paper aims to explore the different policy options at international and national levels to encourage high-biodiversity REDD+; examining options that go beyond doing no harm, as expressed in the Cancun safeguards, to encouraging REDD+ strategies and activities that directly, or indirectly, benefit biodiversity. The paper is directed mainly at policymakers in developing countries to inform them about options that will come up in international negotiations, and to review and discuss options to promote biodiversity in the design of national REDD+ strategies and programs.

Tropical peatlands are widely distributed throughout Indonesia, Malaysia and several other countries in South East Asia. They play an important role in stabilizing the ecosystem, particularly in regulating drainage, microclimate, and water quality and soil formation. In Vietnam, approximately 183,000 ha of peat swamps can be found, mainly located in the Lower Mekong Basin. There are two main areas of where peat remains: in Kien Giang and Ca Mau provinces. The peatland area found within U Minh Ha Nature Reserve and its buffer zone in Ca Mau Province are examined and documented as part of this study.

This 2-pager is a summary of a consultancy SNV conducted for the UN-REDD programme, Vietnam, around the design and piloting of self-selection activities for benefit distribution systems under REDD+. Full report can be found here. The full report can be downloaded here.   

This 2-pager is a summary of a consultancy SNV conducted for the UN-REDD programme, Vietnam, around the design and piloting of self-selection activities for benefit distribution systems under REDD+. Full report can be found here. The full report in English can be downloaded here.

The Lowering Emissions in Asia’s Forests (LEAF) Programme aims to strengthen the capacity of target countries to achieve meaningful and sustained reductions in GHG emissions from the forestry-land use sector while assisting them in benefitting from the emerging international REDD+ framework. LEAF employs a regional approach to promote best practices, build technical capacity, facilitate regional platforms for information sharing, and develop scientifically-based forest monitoring systems.

Please read all further details in this leaflet.

The LEAF Atlas provides a standardised source of information for the larger South and Southeast Asia region by presenting a comprehensive collection of the most relevant, current and trusted datasets available to the public.

It includes maps and tables of a range of datasets relevant to REDD+ including forest cover, biomass carbon stocks, and carbon emissions from deforestation. In addition, data are provided for a series of associated land-based biophysical and socioeconomic factors that can be used to understand past patterns of land cover and land use change.  The Atlas is meant to serve as a resource to a range of stakeholders who are working with, or interested in, forestry, land use, and climate change in the region.