REDD+

The Government of PNG, with the support of the United Nations Development Authority (UNDP), has been developing the PNG National REDD+Strategy since 2015, under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

REDD+ is an important part of PNG’s plan to take action against climate change and PNG was one of the countries that supported its inclusion in the Paris Climate Change Agreement.

The strategy is on REDD+ including sustainable forest management, conservation of carbon stocks and enhancement of carbon stocks (REDD+) for the period of 2017-2027.

REDD+ stands for countries' efforts to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation, and foster conservation, sustainable management of forests and enhancement of forest carbon stocks.

The workshop, scheduled on Wednesday, March 29, will highlight the National Forest Monitoring System Action Plan, Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Inventory and Forest Reference Level for REDD+ in PNG.

The Government of Papua New Guinea (GoPNG), under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and Paris Climate Change Agreement, has been developing the strategy.

Approximately 10 per cent of global GHG emissions are caused by land-use change and, in particular, the destruction of tropical forests. Papua New Guinea (PNG) has one of the most significant areas of largely-intact tropical forest in the world but these forests are facing acute and imminent threats.

Since 2008, PNG has been at the forefront of negotiations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to develop an international mechanism to compensate developing countries for reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD plus).

Forest Reference Level is one of four key elements to be produced by developing countries implementing REDD+ activities.

Reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD) is a mechanism that has been under negotiation by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) since 2005.

It aims to mitigate climate change through reducing net emissions of greenhouse gases through enhanced forest management in developing countries, including PNG.

The REDD+ FRL represents the expected evolution of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the forest sector in the absence of REDD+.

 A common approach to setting a FRL is to take an average rate of emissions from historical deforestation, but these can also be adjusted to account for future changes in a country.

Results of REDD+ activities like agricultural expansion, conversion to pastureland, infrastructure development and destructive logging are measured against the FRL.