title: Financing and current capacity for REDD+ readiness and monitoring, measurement, reporting and verification in the Congo Basin.
abstract: This paper provides the first critical analysis of the financing and current capacity for REDD+ readiness in the Congo Basin, with a particular focus on the REDD+ component of national forest monitoring and measurement, reporting and verification (M&MRV). We focus on three areas of analysis: (i) general financing for REDD+ readiness especially M&MRV; (ii) capacity and information for REDD+ implementation and M&MRV; (iii) prospects and challenges for REDD+ and M&MRV readiness in terms of financing and capacity. For the first area of analysis, a REDD+ and M&MRV readiness financing database was created based on the information from the REDD+ voluntary database and Internet searches. For the second area of analysis, a qualitative approach to data collection was adopted (semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders, surveys and observations). All 10 countries were visited between 2010 and 2012. We find that: (i) a significant amount of REDD+ financing flows into the Congo Basin (±US$550 million or almost half of the REDD+ financing for the African continent); (ii) across countries, there is an important disequilibrium in terms of REDD+ and M&MRV readiness financing, political engagement, comprehension and capacity, which also appears to be a key barrier to countries receiving equal resources; (iii) most financing appears to go to smaller scale (subnational) REDD+ projects; (iv) four distinct country groups in terms of REDD+ readiness and M&MRV status are identified; and (v) the Congo Basin has a distinct opportunity to have a specific REDD+ financing window for large-scale and more targeted national REDD+ programmes through a specific fund for the region.
authors.affiliation: Forestry Department, UN-REDD Programme, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome, Italy. danae.maniatis@googlemail.com
authors.forename: Danae
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Maniatis
authors.forename: Jérôme
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gaugris
authors.forename: Danilo
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mollicone
authors.forename: Joel
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Scriven
authors.forename: Alexis
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Corblin
authors.forename: Cleto
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ndikumagenge
authors.forename: André
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aquino
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Crete
authors.forename: Maria-José
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Sanz-Sanchez
mesh_terms: D000350:Africa, Central; D057231:Climate Change / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003223:Congo; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources / Q000191:economics* / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016208:Databases, Factual; D064308:Ecological Parameter Monitoring / Q000191:economics* / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017753:Ecosystem; D005380:Financing, Government; D014197:Trees
keywords: Central African Commission; REDD+ readiness; financing; measurement, reporting and verification; national forest monitoring systems