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Equity has featured prominently in international climate change discussions since the establishment of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in 1992. Looking forward, equity is expected to be of even greater relevance in this year’s hoped for landmark climate agreement, to be finalized at the 21st Conference of the Parties (COP21) in Paris. Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) remains a focal point of global debate at the intersection of forest and climate change policy. While the exact financing mechanism for REDD+ has yet to be determined, it is clear that demonstrating equity will be an essential part of accessing REDD+ payments and financing in the future. At the national level, Viet Nam recognizes the importance of equity for ensuring an effective REDD+ framework. Therefore, this brief is designed to present key REDD+ equity challenges, as identified by national policy makers and stakeholders in Viet Nam, and potential solutions to address those challenges. By highlighting national equity priorities identified during a workshop held in advance of COP21, we aim to ensure that future capacity development efforts are directed where there is the greatest need and national buy-in. The priority equity issues identified in Viet Nam include: tenure and resource rights, access to information, and benefit sharing.

Equity has featured prominently in international climate change discourse since the establishment of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in 1992. Looking forward, equity is expected to be of even greater relevance in this year’s hoped for landmark climate agreement, to be finalized at the 21st Conference of the Parties (COP21) in Paris. Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) remains central in global conversations at the intersection of forest and climate change policy. While the exact financing mechanism for REDD+ has yet to be determined, it is clear that demonstrating equity will be essential for accessing REDD+ financing in the future. Lao PDR recognizes the importance of equity for ensuring an effective REDD+ framework. Therefore, this brief is designed to present key REDD+ equity challenges as identified by national policy makers and other stakeholders in Lao PDR and potential solutions to address those challenges. By highlighting national equity priorities identified during a workshop held in advance of COP21, we aim to ensure that future capacity development efforts are directed where there is the greatest need and national buy-in. Priority equity issues identified in Lao PDR include: benefit sharing, participation and decision making, and livelihoods.

Equity has featured prominently in international climate change discourse since the establishment of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in 1992. Looking forward, equity is expected to be of even greater relevance in this year’s hoped for landmark climate agreement, to be finalized at the 21st Conference of the Parties (COP21) in Paris. Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) remains a focal point of global debate at the intersection of forest and climate change policy. While the exact financing mechanism for REDD+ has yet to be determined, it is clear that demonstrating equity will be an essential part of accessing REDD+ payments and financing in the future. At the national level, Cambodia recognizes the importance of equity for ensuring an effective REDD+ framework. Therefore, this brief is designed to present key REDD+ equity challenges as identified by national policy makers and other stakeholders in Cambodia and potential solutions to address those challenges. By highlighting national equity priorities identified during a workshop held in advance of COP21, we aim to ensure that future capacity development efforts are directed where there is the greatest need and national buy-in. Priority REDD+ and forest governance equity elements identified in Cambodia include: participation and decision-making, governance and regulations, and access to information.

Considerable debate has developed in recent years over the potential of Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) to either rectify or exacerbate social inequities in tropical forest countries. Despite agreement on the importance of equity issues in REDD+, few studies have considered differences in equity and equitable outcomes as understood at national and local levels, and related contextspecific barriers that frustrate the achievement of equitable outcomes. This paper surveys perceptions of REDD+ related challenges to equity and potential solutions of forestry decision-makers and practitioners in three Mekong countries. Responses were analyzed from two sets of workshops conducted at the national and subnational levels in Cambodia, Lao PDR, and Viet Nam from 2013 to 2015. The paper draws on a framework for analysis of equity developed in recent REDD+ research, and eight “equity elements” developed in the course of the first set of workshops. Participant responses were compared across workshops in the same countries (i.e., national level versus local level) and across countries. Responses also were compared with recent literature on equity in REDD+ and forest governance in each country. The results show that perceptions of equity differ deeply on international, national, and subnational levels. Participation, access to information, and benefit sharing were the most common equity challenges cited across groups, with tenure also seen as important. Workshop participants’ concerns regarding equity were highly interrelated, suggesting that work on equity is mutually reinforcing. Participants’ views on key equity challenges largely supported external research findings. However, feedback also suggested participation and access to information (at least in Cambodia and Viet Nam, respectively) are more important equity issues than seen in literature. Recommendations based on the work include: -Further research to better understand the local level perceptions on equity, enabling more targeted capacity development efforts.-Capacity development initiatives should include further efforts to increase awareness among forest communities of forest governance and REDD+ related rights and mechanisms. The awareness raising should include utilizing the potential of increasing internet and mobile communication coverage.-Current capacity development programs for subnational level government officials, on a wide range of technical skills (e.g., training on relevant laws, policies, and regulations) and ‘soft’ skills (e.g., participatory facilitation and communications with local communities), needs to be revisited and strengthened.

Taller de Lecciones aprendidas y planeación 2016 - Anexo 1-

Memoria Taller de lecciones aprendidas y planeación 2016 - Anexo 2-

Memoria del Taller de Lecciones aprendidas y planeación 2016, ONU-REDD Colombia

The workshop report describes the results of the ‘National Workshop on REDD+ Safeguards’, held in October 2015 at Namsay Chholing Resort in Paro, Bhutan, as part of Bhutan’s REDD+ Readiness Process. The workshop was organized by the Watershed Management Division (WMD) of the Department of Forests and Park Services, in collaboration with the UN-REDD Programme. The report describes how workshop participants identified benefits and risks of Bhutan’s potential REDD+ actions in the context of the Cancun safeguards and assessed how Bhutan's existing PLRs already address the benefits and risks of these potential REDD+ actions. Participants also identified gaps in the PLR framework in relation to the Cancun safeguards and considered measures to mitigate risks and enhance benefits. The workshop also recommended next steps in developing a country approach to safeguards and presented results from the workshop to a broader group of stakeholders, including members of the other technical working groups.