REDD+ Annual Country Progress Reporting (with semi-annual update) August 2014-July 2015
The FCPF project started in March 2014 building on the country UN-REDD programme. By December 2014, all the keys REDD+ institutions had been established and operationalized. These include the REDD+ Taskforce (RTF), REDD+ Taskforce Secretariat (RTS), the four Technical Teams (TT), the Consultation Group (CG) and the Gender Group (GG). The policy, technical inputs and capacity development of these institutions continued to be strengthened through regular meetings, training programmes, workshops and south-south exchange.
A consultation and participation plan was finalized to strengthen engagement with Community Forestry (CF), Community Protected Area (CPA), Community Fishery (CFi) and Indigenous Peoples (IPs) in the REDD+ readiness process. Awareness raising and access to REDD+ information was strengthened through use of mass media and production of multi-media products that include TV-Talk shows, radio call in shows, newsletter, and social media through Facebook, and Twitter.
National REDD+ Strategy: Significant progress was made in developing of the Cambodian National REDD+ Strategy and its implementation framework. The consultation process of the third working draft of the National REDD+ Strategy (NRS) included two consultations and technical inputs from FA (Forestry Administration), GDANCP (General Department for the Administration of Nature Conservation and Protection) and FiA (Fisheries Administration). Institutional mechanisms to provide technical inputs to the NRS include an expert group that was established in August 2014. Membership to the expert group consists of technical advisors to REDD+ from different development partners and international subject matter specialists. To enhance the focus on the drafting process a NRS Working Group was established in July 2015 that has met frequently to provide guidance on the structure and content and to build consensus on identifying drivers of deforestation and degradation. The Working Group also identifies policy guidance, data, and information requirements for the NRS. In addition comments received from the REDD+ Taskforce, the four REDD+ Technical Teams, REDD+ Consultation Group, and Gender Group have also been incorporated. The 4th draft is expected to be completed by end August 2015 and will then go through a process of review with government institutions, stakeholders, and other institutional mechanisms.
National Protected Area Strategic Management Plan (NPASMP): Technical support was provided to government agencies to formulate priority measures for REDD+ strategies. The General Department of Administration for Nature Protection and Conservation, Ministry of Environment has made significant progress in the development of the National Protected Area Strategic management Plan (NPASMP). The second working draft of the strategy has been completed. Sub-national consultation on the draft strategy with stakeholders will be conducted through August 2015 and the final draft of the strategy will be available in December 2015.
REDD+ Sub-National demonstration implementation: The proposals for REDD+ sub-national demonstration activities have been formalized and implementation has started. The key objective of REDD+ demonstration activities is to generate lessons for National REDD+ strategy implementation A total of five sites in four provinces have been finalized. These include two protected area sites with the GDANCP; two sites with FiA in flooded and mangrove forests; and one site with the FA. Field work in the five pilot sites aims to identify key drivers of deforestation and forest degradation and to agree on priority measures to address these drivers.
The implementation of pilot activities on development of REDD+ strategies in the Seima Protected forest (SPF) has been completed. Key results from the implementation of this grant agreement include validation under the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS), lessons learned from the validation process and a revised project document. Additional outputs include a report on drivers and measures to reduce deforestation and forest degradation and evidence of effectiveness; and the development of a system to monitor biodiversity co-benefits. The technical reports from the implementation have been reviewed and incorporated in the development of the National REDD+ Strategy. Full report (Eng)
FCPF 2nd Quarterly Progress Report
A priority for the second quarter was the management and implementation of the consultation process of the National REDD+ Strategy (NRS) with key government agencies and stakeholders; and finalization of proposals for REDD+ sub-national demonstration activities.
The second draft of the NRS has been reviewed and inputs received from FA, GDANCP and FiA, and the REDD+ Expert Group have been incorporated. The first consultation held in May 2015 also received comments from the REDD+ Taskforce, the four REDD+ Technical Teams, REDD+ Consultation Group, and Gender Group. A partial revision of the second draft has been completed and the third draft will be finalized following the second stakeholder’s consultation that will be organized in July 2015.
The revised draft of the National Protected Area Strategic Management Plan (NPASMP), Ministry of Environment (MoE) has been reviewed and agreement reached to design a consultative process.
Recruitment of a team of international and national consultants to finalize the NPASMP is being finalized.
The REDD+ Consultation Group has finalized and endorsed its byelaws, elected a new chairperson and has updated and approved its work plan. Several capacity building events for the Consultation Group and the Gender Group were arranged that included training on gender and REDD+, a review of the gender checklist for the NRS, and active participation in the NRS consultation process. REDD+ awareness through radio and television continued with several broadcasts while the call for proposals to start production of video programmes is now in its final stage to select a professional service provider.
Proposals for REDD+ sub-national demonstration activities have been formalized and implementation has started. A total of five sites in four provinces have been finalized. These include two protected area sites with the General Department for the Administration of Nature Conservation and Protection (GDANCP); two sites with the Fisheries Administration (FiA); and one site with the Forestry Administration (FA).
The implementation of pilot activities on the establishment of demonstration REDD+ fund management systems and development of REDD+ strategies in the Seima Protected forest (SPF) in collaboration with WCS has been completed. Key results from the implementation of this grant agreement include the validation under the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS), lessons learned from the validation process and a revised project document. Additional outputs include a report on drivers and measures to reduce deforestation and forest degradation and evidence of effectiveness; and the development of a system to monitor biodiversity co-benefits. During the course of implementation at least 10 exchange visits from government officials and REDD+ related participants were facilitated to learn from the experience of the Seima Protected Forest REDD+ demonstration site. The technical reports from the implementation will make an important contribution to the National REDD+ strategy development process.
Significant progress was made to design the cost benefit spatial decision-making tool to support the REDD+ National Programme. A five-day training programme on the spatial GIS tool development was conducted. This capacity building process will make an important contribution to the development of the GIS tool that will result in enhancing the understanding of costs and benefits of REDD+ options.
Indigenous Peoples representatives from thirteen provinces of Cambodia approved its code of conduct that would guide its participation and engagement in the Cambodia REDD+ readiness process. They have also elected their IPs representative and alternate to the Project Executive Board (PEB) of the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF) project following the resignation of former representative. They have also reviewed and made recommendations to improve information flow and feedback mechanisms for REDD+ policies and activities. Full report (Eng)
FCPF 1st Quarterly Progress Report 2015
A priority for the first quarter was the management of the process that would lead to the presentation of the National REDD+ Strategy (NRS) at the UNFCCC COP21 in Paris in December 2015. A roadmap for the NRS has been developed that includes a timeline for participatory, inclusive, and transparent consultations between key government agencies, and with stakeholders. Dual language versions of several drafts of the NRS will be produced to ensure a final version is available in the third quarter of 2015.
The initial draft of the National REDD+ Strategy (NRS) was reviewed by FA, GDANCP and FiA and by the REDD+ expert group. The comments received have been incorporated in the second draft that is now under further review. Agreement has also been reached for a stakeholder’s consultation process internally within FA, GDANCP and FiA as well as with wider stakeholders at both the sub national and national level.
Discussions during the evolution of the NRS have also helped in clarifying future steps on the institutional framework. There is agreement that options that have been generated for safeguards, REDD+ fund mechanism and benefit sharing, and grievance redress mechanism would be reviewed to ensure consistency with Cambodia’s legal framework. The results of the analysis of policies, laws, and regulations (PLR) for safeguards will also be subjected to legal review. Legal inputs will also be used to draft bylaws, guidelines, and documents required for the governance of the REDD+ fund mechanism and benefit sharing arrangements. There is agreement that Cambodia’s existing grievance redress mechanism under the Ministry of Interior (MoI) would be the most appropriate mechanism for REDD+ and a legal view will be obtained on both the feasibility of its application for REDD+, and elements to strengthen this mechanism.
The revised draft of the National Protected Area Strategic Management Plan (NPASMP), Ministry of Environment (MoE) has been reviewed and agreement reached to design a consultative process.
The REDD+ Consultation Group has finalized its byelaws and elected a new chairperson. Several capacity building events for the Consultation Group and the Gender Group were implemented including a review of the gender checklist for the NRS. REDD+ awareness through radio and television continued with several broadcasts while preparations to start production of video programmes have been finalized.
Significant progress has been made with demonstration activities at the sub national level with the selection of two protected areas with the General Department for the Administration of Nature Conservation and Protection (GDANCP); and two sites with the Fisheries Administration (FiA). Discussion with the Forestry Administration is in an advanced stage with demonstration sites location to be finalized shortly.
Assessment of drivers of deforestation and forest degradation, development and integration of a REDD+ fund mechanism, and monitoring of biodiversity co-benefits in the Seima Protected Forest is in the final stage of completion.
The Programme Executive Board (PEB) meeting reviewed the progress report and approved the annual work plan and budget. Full report (Eng)
FCPF Annual Project Report 2014
During the reporting period of July-December 2014, the FCPF project focus was to ensure effective handover and continuation of key activities from the UN-REDD programme. Due to this transfer some elements of the FCPF progress report overlap with the UN-REDD programme report. The key results reflecting project achievements in 2014 are attached (Eng).