Assessment of REDD+ MRV Capacity in Developing Countries and Implications under the Paris Regime

Raehyun Kim,Seongsil Cho,Yowhan Son,Dong-Hwan Kim,Jinwoo Park,Sue Kyoung Lee,Eunho Choi

doi:10.3390/land10090943

Abstract

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) recognized the importance of forests in combating climate change and agreed upon financial support for REDD+ activities in developing countries through the Warsaw REDD+ Framework (WRF). The REDD+ activities for conserving carbon stored in forests to reduce GHG emissions and to enhance the carbon sink function of forests are expected to serve as an important means for achieving the climatic goal. In this study, a set of criteria was devised to assess the REDD+ Measuring, Reporting, and Verifying (MRV) implementation capabilities of developing countries, which was applied to analyze the REDD+ MRV levels in REDD+ countries. Based on the Forest Reference Emission Level/Forest Reference Level (FREL/FRL), National Strategy (NS), National Forest Monitoring System (NFMS) and Safeguard Information Summary (SIS) the countries submitted, 36 REDD+ countries submitted only the FREL/FRL (Group I), while 5 countries fulfilled the WRF requirements and registered REDD+ reduction results (Group II), and 6 received Results-Based Payments (RBP) (Group III). From longest to shortest, the periods for which the International Fund provided support were arranged in the order of Group III, II, and I, verifying the relative importance of international support. From highest to lowest, the overall MRV capability was also arranged in the order of Group III, II, and I, although Group I or Group II was at a higher level than the other groups in some elements. REDD+ countries in the Readiness Phase (Group I) would aim to have the MRV capabilities of Groups II and III to receive RBP, and international support for REDD+ MRV capacity building could enable them to do. However, in addition to the receipt of RBP, REDD+ should be reflected in the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) as consistent reduction results at the national GHG inventory level, and the advancement of REDD+ MRV is expected to be a necessary and sufficient condition for REDD+ cooperation under the Paris Agreement cooperative approach framework. For the following groups, international cooperation is essential. Countries in the Readiness Phase need to be supported with the establishment of an MRV framework, which will enable them to achieve REDD+ to receive RBP and be reflected in NDCs. For REDD+ countries that have thus far met the WRF requirements, the REDD+ scope needs to be upscaled to national levels, and the MRV system should be further advanced to establish a cooperative approach system that can achieve more ambitious reduction targets through forests.

Highlights

To achieve the climate goal of holding the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2 ◦ C above pre-industrial levels and pursuing efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 ◦ C above pre-industrial levels [1], it is critical to prevent deforestation and the degradation of forests and promote their capacity as carbon sinks through sustainable management
This study identified 13 indicators in 6 categories, reflecting the Warsaw REDD+ Framework (WRF)’s requirements for REDD+ implementation criteria in developing countries, to evaluate national MRV capabilities through National Strategy (NS), National Forest Monitoring System (NFMS), FREL/FRL, and Safeguard (Table 2)
To qualify for Results-Based Payments (RBP), REDD+ countries must submit documents to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) pursuant to the WRF decisions, including the FREL/FRL, and complete technical evaluations, followed by registration of reduction results resulting from REDD+ implementation for the final receipt of RBPs

Summary

Introduction

To achieve the climate goal of holding the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2 ◦ C above pre-industrial levels and pursuing efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 ◦ C above pre-industrial levels [1], it is critical to prevent deforestation and the degradation of forests and promote their capacity as carbon sinks through sustainable management. Reaching this climate goal requires reducing carbon dioxide emissions to less than 750 billion tons by the end of this century [2,3,4], and land systems, forests, are known to absorb 28% of the 39 billion tons of anthropogenic CO2 annually [5]. REDD+ countries are eligible to receive results-based payments (RBPs) for reduction outcomes under the WRF and, the countries should build an efficient Measurement, Reporting and Verifying (MRV) system at the national level to monitor GHG emissions and removals about REDD+ activities, according to the WRF

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Conclusion