The UN-REDD Programme is the United Nations collaborative initiative on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation (REDD) in developing countries. The Programme was launched in 2008 to support nationally-led REDD strategies and builds on the convening role and technical expertise of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). (UNFCCC Resolutions 1/CP.13; 2/CP.13 and 4/CP.15).
REDD is a mechanism to encourage developing countries to protect, better manage and utilize forest resources to contribute to the global fight against climate change. Through REDD strategies, it is sought that standing forests have a higher value than the one they could have if were cut, because it creates a financial value on carbon stored in trees. Once the carbon is measured and quantified, the final stage of REDD will include compensation payments from developed to developing countries for their standing forests. REDD is the latest in forestry initiatives seeking to turn the economic balance into a sustainable management of forests in a way that their valuable assets and economic, environmental and social services can benefit countries, communities, bodiversities and forest users while contributing to the important work of reducing emissions of greenhouse gas .
Reaching the goal of significantly reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation requires a strong partnership between the countries as well as progress in the negotiations on REDD+ mechanism within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). This collaboration includes a commitment from developing countries under low-carbon growth processes and climate resilient. Also, the industrialized countries should commit to predictable and significant contributions to encourage other countries to reduce their emissions.
Through the first nine national pilot programs in Africa, Asia-Pacific and Latin America and the Caribbean —among other related global activities—, the UN-REDD Programme has supported governments to prepare REDD+ national strategies to build monitoring systems, involve relevant stakeholders and assess common benefits.
Based on lessons learned and the feedback from countries and other participants, the Program has increased its funds and the number of partner countries. The Program operates in accordance with the needs of each country and it is designed to support the transformation of the forest sector and other sectors that have an impact on land use and, therefore, in the relevant economic activities for preparing REDD+.
The program also responds to the resolution raised during UNFCCC COP16 on policy approaches and positive incentives on issues related to REDD+ and is willing to support the implementation of these resolutions when the countries concerned so request.