Redd+ in ghana

REDD+
Nita Forson
Yaw Boateng
Asante Joseph

OUTLINE
• Introduction
• The rationale for REDD+
• Evolution of REDD+
• REDD+ in the Global Context
• Ghana and REDD+
• Timelines for Ghana’s REDD+ Readiness Process
• REDD+ as Governance Mechanism
• Criticism
• Way Forward

INTRODUCTION
REDD+: THE RATIONALE
RATIONALE for REDD+
• Global vegetation stores almost the same amount
of CO2 as contained in the atmosphere (IPCC 2013)
• Tropical forests hold about half of global vegetation
• CO2 Emissions from loss of forest cover, mainly
from tropics accounts for about a tenth of CO2
emissions.
• Forests also presents enormous opportunities for
carbon sequestration
• REDD+ consequently evolved as a performance
based incentive mechanism to reduce deforestation
in developing countries.

INTRODUCTION
EVOLUTION OF REDD+
• Negotiated under the UNFCCC
Kyoto Protocol (1997)
-Article 2 – protection and enhancement of sinks and reservoirs of greenhouse gases, SFM
and afforestation and reforestation activities.
• COP 7 – Marrakesh - 2001
-LULUCF activities for generation of credits under CDM restricted to A and R as a result of
concerns with leakage, permanence, and MRV.
• COP 11 – Montreal – 2005
-Proposal from Costa Rica and Papua New Guinea for inclusion of deforestation. (RED)D+
was born.
COP 13-Bali-2007
-degradation added REDD
• COP 14 – Poznan – 2008
-Expanded scope from REDD to REDD+ to prevent reward of only high emitters .
• COP 15 – Copenhagen – 2009
-Full recognition of REDD+. Issues on drivers, MRV and safeguards decided on
REDD+ is an acronym
which denotes:
R - Reducing
E - Emissions
D - from Deforestation; and
D - forest Degradation
+ - SFM; Conservation and
Enhancement of Forest Carbon stocks

INTRODUCTION
EVOLUTION OF REDD+
• COP 16 – Cancun - 2010
-Adoption of Copenhagen decision on REDD+ -
Phased Approach for REDD+ implementation:
1.Development of national strategies
2.Implementation of national strategies
3.Results based actions to be fully MRVed.
• COP 17 – Durban – 2011
-Decisions on financing options (bilaterals, market based systems, private sector); frameworks for
safeguards reporting; and guidelines for setting up reference level.
• COP 18 – Doha – 2012
-Discussions on the form for MRV and financing options
• COP 19 – Warsaw – 2013
-Decisions on NFMS, REL, SIS and Results based finance.
Source: (GCP 2014)
REDD+ is an acronym which
denotes:
 R - Reducing
 E - Emissions
 D - from Deforestation; and
 D - forest Degradation
 + - SFM; Conservation and
Enhancement of Forest
Carbon stocks

INTRODUCTION
The Global context
REDD+ readiness being
undertaken under two major
global initiatives: FCPF and UN-
REDD. 44 country participants
55 Partner countries

INTRODUCTION
REDD+ IN THE GHANAIAN SETTING
• Ghana has subscribed to REDD+ because:
-there is commitment to addressing climate change – Ghana is highly
vulnerable to climate change impacts. Several home grown solutions for
mitigation (Refrigeration project, removal of subsidies, distribution of solar
lamps, renewables in energy mix)
-REDD+ will leverage funding for enhanced management of forests and
reduction of deforestation in Ghana.
- Of belief that REDD+ methodological issues will be resolved
Currently, the CCU of the FC is coordinating Ghana’s REDD+ readiness under
the FCPF

Vision
Ghana’s Vision for REDD+ is to significantly reduce emissions from
deforestation and forest degradation by 40% over the next ten years,
whilst at the same time addressing threats that undermine ecosystem
services and environmental integrity.

Goals
• Reduce emissions from deforestation and degradation by at least 40% over
ten years, while enabling carbon stock enhancement through sustainable
forest management and tree planting;
• Preserve Ghana’s forests in order to sustain their ecosystem services,
conserve biological diversity, and maintain a cultural heritage for
generations to come;
• Transform Ghana’s major agricultural commodities into climate-smart
production systems and landscapes;
• Expand platforms for cross-sector and public-private collaboration and
sustainable economic development;
• Generate innovative, substantial, and sustainable economic and non-
economic incentives and benefits to improve livelihoods across all regions
of Ghana

Phases
• Phase I: Preparation and Design Phase (2008-2015)
• Phase II: Early Implementation, Monitoring, Performance Based
Payments, Scaling Up (2016-2030)
• Phase III: Performance Based Payments, Consolidation, Determining
Future of REDD+ (2021-2036)

FRAMEWORK FOR REDD+ IMPLEMENTATION IN GHANA
• GHANA’S R-PP
• Submitted and approved by the Participant’s Committee of the FCPF
in 2010.
• Approval paved the way for signing of a Readiness Grant of $3.4
million for its implementation
• Ghana’s R-PP presented a three-step approach towards REDD+
readiness.

Timeframe and Phases
(Ghana R-PP, 2010)
R - Package

REDD+ as a Governance Mechanism
• Stakeholder participation and consultation in REDD+ planning and
implementation (Ghana R-PP, 2010)

REDD+ as a Governance Mechanism Contd.
• REDD+ seeks to address governance issue considering the forestry sector and
its hierarchical institutional setup from ministerial level to district-level forest
service agencies that develop and promote policies. (Decentralization)
• Coordination within institutional and among sectorial programmes is a key
governance issue in the sector. (Synergies between REDD+ and FLEGT-VPA,
Sector Policies etc.)
• The forestry sector is also characterized by conflicts, particularly those related
to tree tenure, benefit sharing or distribution especially related to
compensation payments and Social Responsibility Agreement benefits and land
boundaries (Complain/Grievance Mechanism)
• Accountability issues related to forest management cost incurred by the
Forestry Commission and the use of forest benefits by District Assemblies and
Traditional Authorities remain weak. Transparency and accountability of
REDD+ systems
• Legislative Reform and Law Enforcement

REDD+ CRITICISMS
• Several methodological issues not completely resolved – finance, leakage,
permanence.
• Overloaded (e.g. how do we measure/ compensate SFM/ conservation)
• Could encourage BAU practices in developed countries – no incentives for
developed countries to curtail their emissions.
• Immoral???: Monetisation of biodiversity/ life.
• Despite safeguards, some indigenous people believe REDD+ will lead to evictions
and loss of their lifestyles to meet profits of influential companies.
• High levels of corruption/ elite capture/ problems with transparency in
developing countries poses threats to effectiveness of REDD+.

WAY FORWARD
REDD+ presents opportunities:
• for leveraging financial support for Ghana’s forestry sector
• training/ capacity strengthening
• Enhanced collaboration with civil society to meet forest management
objectives (e.g. IUCN pro-poor; NCRC/ CCU REDDX initiative; REDD+
Pilot proponents)

REFERENCES
FAO, 2010: Global Forest Resources Assessment; Main report. Available at:
http://www.fao.org/docrep/013/i1757e/i1757e.pdf
Forestry Commission of Ghana. 2010: Readiness Preparation Proposal Ghana. Submitted to Forest Carbon Partnership Facility
(FCPF). Final, December, 2010.
FOREST CARBON PARTNERSHIP FACILITY (FCPF). 2012. Ghana’s REDD+ Readiness Progress Fact Sheet. September, 2012.
(Accessed October 2015)
IPCC, 2013: The Physical Science Basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the Fifth Assessment Report of the
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
Marfo, E. Danso, E. and Nketiah, K. S. 2013: Analysis of linkages and opportunities for synergies between FLEGT, REDD and
national forest programme in Ghana. Wageningen, the Netherlands.
TROPENBOS INTERNATIONAL Ghana. 2010. REDD+ in Ghana: A simplified explanatory leaflet for forest dependent people and
traditional authorities. Prepared by TBI Ghana for the Forestry Commission UN-REDD Programme .2011. UN-REDD
Programme Newsletter, Issue #25. ([Accessed October 2015)
WWF, 2013. WWF Guide to Building REDD+ Strategies: A toolkit for REDD+ practitioners around the globe. WWF, Forest and
Climate Program

Redd+ in ghana

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