Active Policy Progress at REDD+ ASEAN Workshop

ASEAN delegates active at Regional Workshop on Community Forestry and REDD+ Policy Development in Hanoi, Vietnam

“There are some interesting lessons we can learn from REDD+ in Indonesia – REDD is not only about payments for carbon, it is also about improved forest governance. We can achieve multiple benefits in terms of the conservation of biodiversity and ecosystem services, such as watersheds and ecotourism, and social benefits such as improved land tenure and greater rights for communities.”

These were key observations highlighted by Fauna & Flora International (FFI) Indonesia’s Mr Ahmad Kusworo at FFI’s Regional REDD+ Programme’s second ASEAN Workshop on Community Forestry and REDD+ Policy Development, which ran from 13-15 November 2013 in Hanoi, Vietnam. The workshop was hosted by programme partners, the Non-Timber Forest Products Exchange Programme (NTFP-EP) and PanNature.

More than 50 active participants (programme officers, government representatives and local community leaders) from Cambodia, Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam contributed to the productive workshop by sharing lessons and future strategies for REDD+ (Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation, plus enhancement of forest carbon stocks).

The Indonesian workshop delegation of seven comprised of: from West Kalimantan Province, Joannes Prabani Setioharnowo (Head of Forestry Office, Ketapang District), Ms Yanta (Community Forestry Forum) and Mr Imanul Huda (Director, People Resource and Conservation Foundation, Indonesia Programme); and from Jambi Province, Ms Emmy Primadona (REDD Coordinator, Indonesian Conservation Community/WARSI).

The Cambodian delegation of 10 comprised of: from Siem Reap Province, Mr Marina Prak (Forestry Administration Deputy Cantonment Chief for Siem Reap Province), Mr Neron Neak (District Governor, Varin District), Mr Nga Mao (Community Forestry Management Committee leader for Tbeng Leak Community Forest), and Mr Vuthy Mao (His Excellency Deputy Governor of Siem Reap Province); Mr Delux Chhun (Deputy Chief of Forest Carbon and Climate Change Office, Forestry Administration); and Mr Pheakkdey Nguon (Doctoral Candidate, Clark University, Massachusetts).

The Philippines delegation of 12 comprised of programme officers, government representatives and local community leaders including: Mr Alexis Lapiz (Philippines Climate Change Commission/CCC); Mr Mark de Claro (Department of Environment and Natural Resources); and Ms Conchita Calzado (tribal leader, Agta-Dumagat-Remontado).

The Vietnam delegation of 23 consisted of national and provincial government representatives including: Mr Nguyen Kim Phuong (Vice Director of the Kontum Department of Agriculture and Rural Development); local community leaders from Hieu Commune; and managers and REDD+ experts from the World Agroforestry Centre, Forest Trends, the UN-REDD (Phase II) Programme and local NGOs. At the workshop, Dr Pham Manh Cuong, Vietnam REDD+ National Programme Director, provided a valuable update about REDD+ policy developments in Vietnam and hosted an open dialogue with participants.

The Regional REDD+ Programme is managed by FFI, working in partnership with NTFP-EP and PanNature, and is chiefly funded by the European Union (EU) with support from the Asia-Pacific Network for Global Change Research (APN).

FFI Regional Programme Manager, Mr Rob Harris said the Hanoi workshop was an excellent opportunity to network with government, community and non-governmental organisation representatives who were responsible for actively carrying out REDD+ policy activities.

“The workshop, and following visit to the Vietnam project site in Kontum Province, will strengthen future collaborations in a very effective way for the direction of the REDD+ Programme,” Mr Harris said.

“There was a dynamic exchange of ideas between the ASEAN countries – everyone wanted to find out what issues had been highlighted and apply this knowledge to their own country strategies and pass on their experiences to others.”

Regional REDD+ pilot projects are operating in Cambodia, Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam, with the long-term aim to effectively reduce carbon emissions while providing benefits to forest-dependent people.

Mr Harris said the programme was driven by the aim to create performance-based payments – to pay forest owners to protect their forest resources and therefore reduce emissions.

“Such payment for environmental services can only succeed with clearly defined land tenure and carbon rights, so the REDD+ Programme works to improve and strengthen forest governance, by ensuring that the tenurial rights of indigenous and forest-dependent communities are incorporated into the decision-making process,” he said.

“REDD+ needs a broad set of policies that include institutional reforms in the areas of governance, tenure, decentralisation and community forest management.

“The programme strives to build the capacity of local communities and country governments to actively participate in REDD+ pilot projects and channel lessons into policy contributions at international, national and regional levels.”

Source: communitycarbonpool.info