The UN-REDD Programme is the United Nations Collaborative initiative on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation (REDD) in developing countries. The Programme was launched in September 2008 to assist developing countries prepare and implement national REDD+ strategies, and builds on the convening power and expertise of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
Support to Countries
The Programme currently supports REDD+ readiness activities in nine pilot countries, spanning Africa, Asia and the Pacific and Latin America: Bolivia, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Indonesia, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, United Republic of Tanzania, Viet Nam and Zambia. To-date, the UN-REDD Programme’s Policy Board has approved a total of US$42.6 million for eight of the Programme’s nine initial pilot countries. These funds help to support the development and implementation of national REDD+ strategies. National programmes in four UN-REDD pilot countries (DRC, Indonesia, Tanzania and Viet Nam) are now in their implementation phase.
While current funding is programmed for its nine pilot countries, the Programme has also welcomed 18 others to be observers to its Policy Board, and has given them access to many other benefits of the Programme, such as networking, participation in regional workshops and knowledge sharing, facilitated by the Programme’s interactive online workspace. These partner countries are: Argentina, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Central African Republic, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Kenya, Mexico, Nepal, Nigeria, the Philippines, Republic of Congo, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka and Sudan.
Click here for more information on UN-REDD National Programmes.
Global Activities
The UN-REDD Programme brings together technical teams from around the world to help develop analyses and guidelines on issues such as measurement, reporting and verification (MRV) of carbon emissions and flows, ensuring that forests continue to provide multiple benefits for livelihoods and the environment, and supporting the engagement of Indigenous Peoples and Civil Society at all stages of the design and implementation of REDD+ strategies. The UN-REDD Programme also seeks to build consensus and knowledge about REDD+, to ensure a REDD+ mechanism is included in a post-2012 climate change agreement.
Click here for more information on the Programme’s Global Activities.
Norway continues to be the UN-REDD Programme’s first and largest donor. Since the Programme was launched in September 2008, Norway has committed US$52.2 million for 2008-2009, and another US$32.1 million for 2010. Denmark became the second donor country to join the UN-REDD Programme, committing US$2 million in June 2009. At the end of 2009, Spain announced its pledge of US$20.2 million to the UN-REDD Programme over a period of three years. The Programme UN-REDD is now actively looking for more donors, to meet the increasing demand from countries seeking support from the Programme.
For an overview of current funds and budget allocations, consult the Programme’s Multi-Donor Trust Fund.