Quick REDD Update

The revised REDD text anticipated Saturday evening has not yet been released. It is expected, in fact more or less required, that the text will be finalized by close of business Monday, after which it will begin to move its way up to Ministers and, eventually, Heads of State.

Some of the remaining contentious  sections of the negotiations include:

1.  Whether REDD will be limited to national programs, or whether sub-nationals projects will be included as well. This varies, with some countries keen to get started at the project level ahead of the completion of a national strategy. this approach could be risky as it would allow some REDD activities to get underway before national leagl/policy frameworks are developed.

2. The relationship between nationally appropriate mitigation actions (NAMAs) and REDD. Delegates are awaiting clarification from the main negotiations on NAMAs in the Ad-Hoc Working Group on the Kyoto Protocol. Developing countries are not willing to accept anything less than 100% voluntary MRV "requirements," with the exception of actions supported by Annex 1 countries.

3. Financing still not clear - the debate on this critical topic has not yet been touched, including the question of whether financing will be fund-based, market-based etc.

In response to the current draft that is being worked on and in some contrast to the views of the Accra Caucus and other NGOs, Vicky Tali-Corpus, Chair of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, is happy overall. Her reasons ? Reference to all three of the UN Declaration on Indigenous People Rights, transparent governance and preventing conversion of natural forests (in spite of where they are placed in the text).

We are now entering the second week of the COP and things are going to pick up soon, so be sure to stay tuned.