UN-REDD programme and the progress of implementing REDD in Vietnam

I was taught that the best way to have a deep understanding about something is brainstorming your mind many ideas around it. Then I chose that way to present my knowledge about the questions: What do you know about UN-REDD programme? and What are the prog

MIDTERM EXAMINATION PAPER 2012 BY NGUYEN THANH TANUN-REDD programme and the progress of implementing REDD in VietnamI was taught that the best way to have a deep understanding about something is brainstorming your mind many ideas around it. Then I chose that way to present my knowledge about the questions: What do you know about UN-REDD programme? and What are the progresses of your country? The following questions and answers about UN-REDD programme will show you the way it works.⌂About UN-REDD Programme: What is REDD?REDD stands for countries' efforts to Reduce Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation.REDD+ is similar to REDD, but instead of just covering deforestation and degradation, it includes other activities, such as the sustainable management of forests and the enhancement of forest carbon stocks.UN-REDD programme is the United Nations' collaborative initiative on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation in developing countries. When was REDD established?REDD was established during the 11th Convention of the Parties at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change that was held in Montreal, Canada, in 2005. Why do we need REDD+?Because deforestation in tropical forests has gained salience in public debate on climate change mitigation policies. Such salience stems from the negative externalities caused by deforestation, such as the release of greenhouse gases emissions, the loss of biomass, forest degradation etc. Recent research on CO2 emissions point out that tropical deforestation represents about 15 to 17 percent of anthropogenic emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2).Without solutions for deforestation, human will be face and bear with hundreds of disasters caused by climate change. We need together act now and REDD is as a part of solutions. How will REDD work?The UN-REDD Programme supports nationally led REDD+ processes and promotes the informed and meaningful involvement of all stakeholders, including Indigenous Peoples and other forest-dependent communities, in national and international REDD+ implementation. The Programme also works 1 MIDTERM EXAMINATION PAPER 2012 BY NGUYEN THANH TANto build international awareness and consensus about the importance of including REDD+ mechanisms in a future climate change agreement.The UN-REDD Programme is not the only initiative assisting countries that wish to engage in REDD+ activities. Other initiatives include the World Bank’s Forest Carbon Partnership Facility, Norway’s International Climate and Forest Initiative, the Global Environment Facility, Australia’s International Forest Carbon Initiative and the Collaborative Partnership on Forests.In term of National programme, UN-REDD Programme assists developing countries to prepare and implement national REDD+ strategies and mechanisms. The actions help countries develop the capacity to implement REDD+ strategies and become "REDD-readiness"; and provide practical experience and lessons learned that could inform the international dialogue on a post-2012 REDD+ mechanism.The UN-REDD in Developing Countries combines the efforts of three UN Organizations: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in supporting countries a variety of donors, bilateral and multilateral alike. Who get the paid on REDD?The Programme currently has 46 partner countries spanning Africa, Asia-Pacific and Latin America and the Caribbean. Sixteen of these countries are receiving direct support to National Programmes. To-date, the UN-REDD Programme’s Policy Board has approved a total of US$67.3 million for National Programmes in these 16 partner countries. These funds help to support the development and implementation of national REDD+ strategies. The remaining countries not receiving direct support to national programmes engage with the Programme in a number of ways, including as observers to the Programme's Policy Board, and through participation in regional workshops and knowledge sharing, facilitated by the Programme’s interactive online workspace. What is progress of UN-REDD programme?REDD+ activities are broken down into the following three phases: • Phase 1: Development of national strategies or action plans, policies and measures, and capacity building • Phase 2: Implementation of national policies and measures and national strategies or action plans that could involve further capacity building, technology, development and transfer, and results-based demonstration activities • Phase 3: Results-based actions that should be fully measured, reported and verified The UN-REDD Programme is already active in phase 1 and has delivered technical support and funding for the development of national REDD+ strategies in pilot countries. While the phases are country-specific, and many countries are likely to remain at phase 1 for some time yet, there is also a clear role for the 2 MIDTERM EXAMINATION PAPER 2012 BY NGUYEN THANH TANUN-REDD Programme in phase 2, in areas such as further capacity development and policy and institutional strengthening. ⌂ About UN-REDD Vietnam Programme:The question is just focus on the progress of implementing REDD in Vietnam, but I would like to present briefly about some problems related to the progress in Vietnam. I hope it will make my essay more convincing and clear. Why choose Vietnam to test REDD mechanisms?For a number of reasons, Vietnam has been selected as a test-case country by donors such as the United Nations Collaborative Program on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Developing Countries (UN-REDD) and the World Bank's Forest Carbon Partnership Facility. Vietnam is, given its long coastline and already pressured natural resources, one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change. Vietnam is also an interesting case for investigation owing to its rare trend of increasing forest cover. The per capita emissions in Vietnam are only one third of the global average emission per person; however, owing to rapid economic development emission from Vietnam is increasing sharply compared with the rest of the world. Who pay for the programme in Vietnam?Being fully supported and executed by three UN agencies (UNDP, FAO, UNEP), especially with financial and technical support from Norwegian Government. After three years of implementation, the Government of Norway has provided support of US$4.4 million to Vietnam in phase I. To date, program has disbursed US$4.1 million. According to the agreement of the two governments of Vietnam and Norway on the implementation of phase II, Norwegian Government has also agreed to further sponsor Vietnam an amount of US$30 million. What is the progress of implementing REDD in Vietnam?Since REDD became a major topic in international negotiations on climate change since 2007, negotiators and observers have given much thought to Vietnam. However, soon after the 13th Conference was held by the concerned parties involving in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change on July 2007, Vietnam has become one of the first countries to express interest in forest carbon partnership facility administered by World Bank with an aim to supporting the development of national action plan on REDD +.Then the UN-REDD Viet Nam Programme officially started in August 2009 and the first phase was planned to complete by June 2012.Currently, Vietnam has successfully implemented Vietnam UN-REDD Programme Phase I, which was started in August 2009 at two pilot districts of Lam Ha and Di Linh, Lam Dong province. Duration is 36 months from September 2009 to September 2012. Funded by the Government of Norway, 3 MIDTERM EXAMINATION PAPER 2012 BY NGUYEN THANH TANViet Nam’s US$4.38 million UN-REDD programme will be executed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), with the long-term objectives are by the end of 2012 Vietnam is REDD-ready and able to contribute to reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in Vietnam and in the region. In addition, to assist the Government of Vietnam in developing an effective REDD regime in Viet Nam and to contribute to reduction of greenhouse gas emission and climate change. Through the Viet Nam REDD+ Office, the REDD Network and six very active sub-technical working groups, a solid structural foundation has been put in place at the national level for Viet Nam to move smoothly from Phase I to Phase II activities for REDD+. This transition phase will focus on institutional strengthening and capacity building in 40 provinces with abundant forests and support pilot implementation of all the REDD activities + in 6 provinces as Bac Kan, Ca Mau, Binh Thuan, Ha Tinh, Lam Dong. This phase is expected to last until 2020. What are the key achievements through REDD?Over phase I, the Programme has made a significant impact on the domestic forestry sector, in terms of policy and practice, and has been the most significant initiative for REDD+ readiness in Viet Nam. It has achieved some notable successes, when measured against its own objectives. For example, its work on Benefit Distribution Systems began early and has generated important discussions among forestry policy makers. In the pilot province of Lam Dong, the pilot exercises on applying the principles of Free, Prior and Informed Consent in the context of REDD+ were internationally recognized as groundbreaking. The Programme also made a significant contribution to the success of new multi-stakeholder bodies, such as the REDD Network and six Sub-Technical Working Groups that contribute to research, development and decision- making processes in REDD+ Readiness. Which difficulties have been generating in the process of implementing REDD?In the process of implementation of REDD at site, we have met significant challenges. The participation of the private sector is not strong enough especially the companies working in the field of fisheries, agriculture related to conversion of agricultural land. The awareness of REDD is different from the central to local levels. There remains much limitation in coordination among relevant agencies. On the legal basis, much needs to be done about Law on Forest Protection in 2005 and carbon rights as well as the decentralization of power to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment in the land allocation under Decree 99. The goal of phase II is to finalize the legal framework to enable REDD + to realize the intended objectives.4 MIDTERM EXAMINATION PAPER 2012 BY NGUYEN THANH TAN Today, we have another reason why we need to develop plantations and sequester as much carbon as possible so that we mitigate climate change. We have country lies with politicians, bureaucrats and academics. We have manipulated the whole thing for our own selfish reasons because we are more interested in the financial benefits of REDD rather than the social and environmental benefits. Then now, the question is: In your opinion, how to sustain the programme’s efficiency?I think firstly, it is important to raise awareness for local people who have unclear relationship with forests and lack collective rights to pre-existing programmes. They should focus instead on a continuous, transparent and equitable process of negotiation between local people and the initiators of REDD+ activities. A more effective approach to grassroots engagement in REDD+ is to concentrate on the more accessible concepts behind each of the five REDD+ activities. Do not try to translate new terms but use familiar vocabulary and local language as necessary. Communications under the UN-REDD Programme should focus more on general information on REDD+ and less on promotional literature for the Programme, in order to be of more long-term utility for national stakeholders. The Programme also needs to build the capacity of long-term staff, not only rely on temporary staff. Potential problems with REDD+ should be more emphasized. The risk of consent should be highlighted, as well as the importance of a recourse mechanism. Communities should be able to report concerns and complaints to agencies independent of local government. National endorsement of forest certification systems may promote greater transparency and quality of the information, as required for REDD+. The UN-REDD Programme should build on the successful examples of previous multi-agency UN programmes. Finally, financial flows and technical advice must be separate to achieve maximum effectiveness. If our hopes of building a better and safer world are to become more than dreaming, we will need the engagement of volunteers more than ever.REFERENCES⌂ Related Information and Sources:1. The UN-REDD Programme Strategy, 2011-2015, The United Nations Collaborative Programme on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Developing Countries.2. Report of the UN-REDD Programme Fifth Policy Board Meeting, UN-REDD PROGRAMME, 4-5 November 2010, Washington D.C., USA.3. Assessing the Effectiveness of Training and Awareness Raising Activities of the UN-REDD Programme in Viet Nam (2009-2011), UN-REDD PROGRAMME, June 2012. 4. REDD Readiness Progress Fact Sheet, COUNTRY: Vietnam, March, 2012.5 MIDTERM EXAMINATION PAPER 2012 BY NGUYEN THANH TAN5. Developing national REDD-plus systems: Progress challenges and ways forward, the case of Indonesia and Vietnam country, September 2010.⌂ Relevant Websites and Literature 1. About REDD, http://www.un-redd.org/aboutredd/tabid/582/default.aspx2. EDF selected as representative to UN-REDD Program Policy Board, http://blogs.edf.org/climatetalks/2012/10/26/edf-selected-as-representative-to-un-redd-program-policy-board/3. The Green Report UN REDD: Can the program save our tropical forests?, http://www.thomaswhite.com/explore-the-world/green-report/2011/un-redd-can-the-program-save-our-tropical-forests.aspx4. UN-REDD in Viet Nam, http://www.un-redd.org/UNREDDProgramme/CountryActions/VietNam/tabid/1025/language/en-US/Default.aspx5. National REDD strategy Vietnam, http://www.slideshare.net/rightsandclimate/national-redd-strategy-vietnam-presentation6 . Assessing the Effectiveness of Training and Awareness Raising Activities of the UN -REDD Programme in Viet Nam (2009-2011), UN -REDD PROGRAMME, June 2012. 4. REDD. making processes in REDD+ Readiness. Which difficulties have been generating in the process of implementing REDD? In the process of implementation of REDD