REDD+ Social and Environmental Standards Initiative

1. REDD+ Social and Environmental Standards Initiative Joanna Durbin, Climate, Community & Biodiversity Alliance Phil Franks, CARE International Presented by Belinda de la Paz, Haribon Foundation (Member, International Standards Committee, REDD+ SES)

2. REDD+ Social & Environmental Standards What are they? • Consist of principles, criteriaandindicators that define the necessary conditions to achieve high social and environmental performance • Provide a framework for assessment of social and environmental performance using a multistakeholder assessment process • Support the design, implementation and evaluation of government-led REDD+ programs, enabling consistent assessment irrespective of funding source • Aim to enhance benefits as well as avoid harm.

3. Standards development process Multistakeholder workshops Ecuador Nepal Liberia Tanzania Denmark May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun 2009 2010 90 days 60 days Public comment periods 1st draft 2nd draft 3rd draft Version 1

4. Participating countries Criteria: • Significant progress towards a government-led REDD+ program • Strong government commitment to demonstrating social and environmental performance of REDD

5. Governance of the REDD+ SES Initiative • International Standards Committee oversees the initiative • Approves each draft of the standards, guidelines on use • Membership ensures stakeholder balance with a majority from developing countries • Governments of countries implementing REDD+ programs • Indigenous peoples’ organizations • Community associations • Social NGOs • Environmental NGOs • Private sector • CCBA & CARE are facilitators (international secretariat) with technical support from Proforest

7. Principle 1: Rights to land, territories and resources are recognized and respected Criteria address: Identification of rights-holders and their rights Recognition of statutory and customary rights Free, prior informed consent Process to resolve disputes over land/resources related to the REDD+ program Carbon rights

8. Principle 2: The benefits of the REDD+ program are shared equitably among all relevant rights holders and stakeholders Criteria address: Identification of costs, benefits and risks of REDD+ for different rights holder/stakeholder groups Transparency, participation, effectiveness and efficiency of the benefit sharing process Monitoring of costs and benefits and their distribution

9. Principle 3: The REDD+ program contributes to long-term livelihood security and enhances well-being of indigenous peoples and local communities with special attention to the most vulnerable people Criteria address: Livelihood security benefits emphasizing most vulnerable Decision-making process on the form benefits will take Assessment of positive and negative social, cultural and economic impacts Measures to mitigate negative & enhance positive impacts

10. Principle 4: The REDD+ program contributes to broader sustainable development, respect and protection of human rights and good governance objectives. Criteria address: Contribution to sustainable development objectives Coherence with relevant policies and strategies Coordination between government and other relevant agencies/organizations Improvement in governance of the forest and other relevant sectors

11. Principle 5: The REDD+ program maintains and enhances biodiversity and ecosystem services Criteria address: Maintenance and enhancement of biodiversity and ecosystem services Assessment of positive and negative impacts on ecosystem services and biodiversity Adaptive management of the REDD+ program in response to impact assessment

12. Principle 6: All relevant rights holders and stakeholders participate fully and effectively in the REDD+ program Criteria address: Rights holder/stakeholder identification & characterization Participation in design, implementation and evaluation Representation of rights holders/stakeholders Capacity to participate effectively Building on existing knowledge/skills/management systems Resolution of grievances

13. Principle 7: All rights holders and stakeholders and have timely access to appropriate and accurate information to enable informed decision-making and good governance of the REDD+ program Criteria address: Public availability of information for general awareness Rights holders/stakeholder having information necessary for full and effective participation Dissemination of information by representatives to their constituencies Feedback from rights-holders/stakeholders to their representatives

14. Principle 8: The REDD+ program complies with applicable local and national laws and international treaties and other instruments Criteria address: Compliance with relevant local law, national law and international treaties and agreements Process for resolving inconsistencies Capacity of stakeholders to implement and monitor legal requirements

15. What the standards can be applied to • Processes for development of country-level REDD+ programs, strategies, policies and plans • Implementation of country-level REDD+ policies and plans • Social and environmental outcomes on the ground

16. Role of the standards • Good practice guidance • Self-reporting on performance • In-country multistakeholder review and approval of content • International peer review of process (governance, interpretation and assessment) • Compliance • Independently verified assessment of performance against minimum standards

17. Using the standards at country level • Governance: a multistakeholder country-level Standards Committee approves indicators, process and reports • Interpretation: participatory approach to development of country-specific indicators and assessment process • Assessment: • Monitoring – collection of information to evaluate performance • Reviewing – by stakeholders to ensure the information is accurate and credible • Reporting – communicating the assessment and ensuring transparency

18. UNFCCC – Cancun Agreement 71. Requests developing country Parties aiming to undertake activities referred to in paragraph 70 above (REDD+), …….to develop the following elements: (d) A system for providing information on how the safeguards referred to in annex I to this decision are being addressed and respected throughout the implementation of the activities referred to in paragraph 70, while respecting sovereignty;

19. UNFCCC – Cancun Agreement • Annex 1. Safeguards: • Objectives of national forest programmes and relevant international conventions and agreements; • Transparent and effective national forest governance structures; • Respect for the knowledge and rights of indigenous peoples and members of local communities; • Full and effective participation of relevant stakeholders; • Conservation of natural forests and biological diversity, • not used for the conversion of natural forests, • incentivize the protection and conservation of natural forests and their ecosystem services • enhance other social and environmental benefits;

20. Overview of status • Ecuador • Facilitated by CI, CARE and Govt of Ecuador • Country-level Standards Committee created • First draft of country-specific indicators developed through stakeholder workshop • 90-day public comment period and 2 indigenous peoples workshops • Developing a monitoring plan • Brazil – Acre State • Facilitated by CARE and State Government • Standards committee being created • First draft of country specific indicators

21. Overview of status • Nepal • Facilitated by FECOFUN and Govt. of Nepal • Standards committee in place • Safeguards integration and planning workshop in July 2011 • Country specific interpretation to start in July 2011 • Tanzania • Facilitated by Clinton Climate Initiative and Govt. of Tanzania • Safeguards committee being created • Safeguards integration and planning workshop in May 2011 • Country specific interpretation to start in July 2011 • Indonesia – Central Kalimantan • Facilitated by Clinton Climate Initiative and Provincial Govt. • Task force established, Standards committee under discussion • Country specific interpretation to start in July 2011?

22. Challenges and lessons learned • Multiple national and international safeguards mechanisms • Inconsistency between national legal frameworks and international obligations • Implementing and assessing free, prior and informed consent • Capacity to manage multistakeholder processes • How to design a monitoring plan: quantity and detail of information needed for effective reporting • Verification: how to assess compliance given sensitivity of independent evaluation of government-led programs

23. Contribution of REDD+ SES • Consistent and comprehensive performance assessment framework developed through international consensus • Indicators and assessment process are tailored to the country context • Multistakeholder approach (government, civil society and private sector) enhances quality, credibility and joint ownership • Promotes higher social and environmental performance beyond “no harm” • Enables participating countries to communicate performance to national and international stakeholders • Enables donors/investors to reduce risk and recognize/reward higher performance

25. For more information: www.REDD-standards.org