Vietnam’s REDD+ safeguards information system: Current status and the need for updating/improvement

Abstract

Reducing greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions by limiting forest loss and degradation, conserving and enhancing carbon stocks, and managing forest resources sustainably (REDD+) was established under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) as an international financial mechanism that provides results-based payments to developing countries for successfully implementing REDD+ actions. In addition to climatechange mitigation and carbon-related benefits, not only REDD+ can deliver a range of non-carbon (co-benefit) outcomes; butit also entails potential environmental and social risks. Recognizing these risks, UNFCCC Parties adopted set of seven REDD+ safeguards principles at COP 16, commonly called the “Cancun safeguards.” The Cancun Agreement requests countries implementing REDD+ to “address” and “compliance” these seven safeguards, which cover governance, emission-reduction risks, social and environmental benefits.