Learning Lab on REDD+ Results based Finance and Knowledge Exchange on Social Inclusion and Benefits Sharing Mechanisms
This package of events will be delivered through the partnership between UN-REDD Programme and the African Forest Forum (AFF). This partnership seeks to advance REDD+ implementation within countries in Africa. The two events consist of the Learning Lab on REDD+ Results-based Finance and the Regional Exchange on Social Inclusion and Benefits Sharing Mechanisms.
Learning Lab on REDD+ Results based Finance- 27 October 2023
African countries are a crucial part of the forest solutions (mitigation, adaptation, and resilience) towards achieving the Paris agreement goal. Nevertheless, despite the recognition that conserving and preserving forests is needed to address the climate crisis, financing for forests is far from being sufficient and is slow-moving.
On the one hand, countries still face challenges in obtaining upfront financing for their REDD+ preparation and implementation to support policy and on-the-ground actions that yield mitigation results, prior to accessing REDD+ results-based payments. On the other hand, the level of results-based finance (RBF), which is ex-post and received once investments are provided and results demonstrated, either in the form of payments (results-based payments) or via carbon markets remains also below African countries’ expectations and needs.
The Learning Lab aims to equip technical practitioners in African countries with a comprehensive understanding of results-based finance, including carbon markets, along with an overview of underlying standards and financial opportunities. Participants will gain a better understanding of the opportunities and challenges associated with participating in results-based finance and carbon markets. This knowledge will help countries strategically enhance and scale up their forest-based climate action to support their NDCs.
Event objectives
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Equip technical practitioners in African countries with a comprehensive understanding of REDD+ finance types and sources.
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Support participating country representatives to achieve a holistic grasp of international results-based finance, including carbon markets, along with an overview of underlying standards and financial opportunities.
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Share experiences, lessons learned, opportunities and challenges on efforts to leverage finance from various sources for accessing REDD+ Results based Finance.
Event outcomes
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Contribute to increase the understanding of REDD+ Results based Finance among participating country representatives.
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Produce a document that captures and summarizes experiences, challenges, and opportunities that countries will identify in relation to accessing to RBF.
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Identify and highlight opportunities to technically support countries to engage in RBF.
Contact: Achille Momo: achille.momo@un.org
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Knowledge Exchange on Social Inclusion and Benefits Sharing Mechanisms in African countries’ REDD+ process – 28 October 2023
One of the key prerequisites for countries to access the REDD+ finance regardless of funding sources and markets targeted, is a set of social and environmental measures in place to reduce and mitigate potential risks and promote co-benefits associated with the implementation of activities that lead to mitigation outcomes.
Social dimensions of REDD+ seek to ensure that forest-related projects and jurisdictional programmes, at least, do not harm the environment or communities, especially the most vulnerable groups such as poor, minority groups, indigenous people, or local communities. This is important because of the intricate ways that interventions in the forest and land use sector affect people, livelihoods, and the environment.
Moreover, the growing demand for high integrity carbon credits that could potentially attract higher price is also associated with the clear definition of the extent to which the actions leading to results are effectively embedded in core international standards related to human rights, rights of Indigenous People and local communities, equity, inclusive participation, and governance, among others. Also, the demand side would like that the benefits generated by REDD+ really contribute sustainably to the improvement of living conditions of local populations and better management of the environment.
Participants will be first briefed on how these key elements, namely social inclusion and benefits sharing, are considered in the safeguards’ requirements in different standards for REDD+ projects and programmes. The discussion will be enriched by the presentation of countries’ experiences and learnings. The exchange will end with the identification of best practices and lessons learned.
Event objectives
The main objective of the regional exchange is to facilitate the peer-to-peer exchange between countries on their approaches/experience to ensure stakeholders’ engagement and social inclusion, as well as equitable benefit sharing mechanisms.
Event outcomes
At the end of the event, information on challenges and success factors for effective social inclusion and equitable benefit sharing mechanisms will be documented and will serve as basis for future actions aiming at promoting stakeholders buy-in and involvement for successful and sustainable REDD+ outcomes.
Contact: Marie Louise Avana: M.Avana@cifor-icraf.org
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