News Archives - EU REDD Facility

How securing land tenure can help fight both desertification and deforestation

10 June 2022/by EU REDD Facility

The EU REDD Facility moderated an EU side event held during the 15th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP15) of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. Speakers from the EU, Ivorian NGOs and the Facility agreed that the fight against desertification in Côte d’Ivoire is closely linked to the fight against deforestation.

During the event, the EU REDD Facility expert on sustainable land-use policies, Romuald Vaudry, explained how securing land tenure, through the issuance of land certificates, is critical to preserve existing forests and drive the increase of forest cover in the Ivorian rural domain. By becoming owners of the trees, farmers (including women) can safely invest in their land, diversify their production systems, and improve their income. Land use planning and associated spatial planning tools, including down to the village level, are also essential for better land use.

Ivorian civil society representatives showed concrete examples how land certification in the Mé region made it possible to concretely fight deforestation and secure private sector investments, driving reforestation. They also showed how civil society can ensure that private and public actors comply with regulations in force through independent observation.

EU representatives explained how the EU works in partnership with countries in their ecological transition towards sustainability. In this framework, the EU supports Côte d’Ivoire in the development of a national strategy for sustainable cocoa. EFI provides technical support to this process in Côte d’Ivoire, but also in Ghana and Cameroon through the International Partnerships Facility’s Sustainable Cocoa Programme.

The EU REDD Facility addresses climate action and land-use planning at the 13th Forest Governance Forum

9 June 2022/by EU REDD Facility

The 13th Forest Governance Forum took place in Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo, from 23-24 May 2022. Following the forest commitments made in 2021 in Glasgow, UK, at 26th United Nations Climate Conference (COP 26), the Forum addressed the intersection of forest governance, the green economy, climate change and land-use planning. The EU REDD Facility engaged and delivered a presentation at a panel on COP26 and the climate action. The Facility also convened and chaired a parallel session on land-use planning and forests.

Opening ceremony of the Forest Governance Forum (EU Ambassador in Brazzaville, Minister of MEF, Coordinator of CJJ and the Director of CIDT of the University of Wolverhampton). Source: Jim Djontu, EU REDD Facility.

Fern convened a plenary session titled ‘Building on COP26 to Promote Inclusive and Ambitious Climate Action,’ which was moderated by the Central Africa Forest Initiative (CAFI) Secretary. It aimed to examine progress and gaps in commitments and actions to improve climate governance in the Congo Basin and beyond. It also formulated recommendations so that nationally determined contributions (NDCs) and just and transparent climate finance lead to greater protection of forests and forest peoples’ rights.

In a presentation on ‘Revised NDCs: What’s in it for forests, rights, and livelihoods?’ Jim Djontu and Alice Bisiaux of the EU REDD Facility underlined that the gap between emission reduction pledges and what is needed to achieve the goal of the Paris Agreement to limit temperature increase to 1,5 ºC above pre-industrial levels is still significant. In this context, they assessed the progress made in the revised NDCs of some Congo Basin countries, underlying the essential role nature-based solutions can play in addressing the climate challenge. In many cases, NDC pledges related to the forest and land-use sector can still be made more ambitious and specific. In particular, the national climate plans should better address forest governance issues and include quantified tenure and natural resource rights for indigenous peoples and local communities.

Furthermore, although the revision of the NDCs have been carried out through a greater engagement of civil society compared to the 2015 version of these national plans, their recommendations have only been very partially taken into account.

The EU REDD Facility also convened a parallel session on land-use planning and forests, which was chaired by Jim Djontu.

Jim Djontu, EU REDD Facility, chairing the panel on the land-use planning and forests. Source: Igerha Bampa, GTCRR. — *Jim Djontu, EU REDD Facility, chairing the panel on the land-use planning and forests. Source: Igerha Bampa, GTCRR*.

Panellists underlined that the progress made, and the approaches deployed in land-use planning are context-specific. These approaches may be top-down, bottom-up or combined. This influences the dynamics of the process, the achievement of the defined objectives, the emerging lessons and constraints encountered.

The Republic of the Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Cameroon have embarked on ambitious and multi-annual land-use planning processes following differentiated trajectories adapted to their local contexts and realities with the support of international and local partners, such EFI, the CAFI, Initiative Développement and Rainbow Consult.

Land-use planning, and associated tools have been recognised by the administration, development partners, civil society, and the private sector as an essential basis for better land governance, more coherent development planning and the reconciliation of divergent interests in land-use and allocation in the rapidly growing economies of the countries of the sub-region.

At COP26: Promoting sustainable trade through transparency and traceability

12 November 2021/by EU REDD Facility

At the COP26 Indonesia Pavilion on 8 November, European Forest Institute (EFI) expert Thomas Sembres presented ideas on promoting sustainable trade through transparency and traceability in forest, agriculture commodities and trade. Speaking at the Indonesian Pavilion, Sembres made the case for raising the visibility of sustainability, and for creating more differentiation in global markets between what is sustainable and what is not. This needs to be done at scale for mainstream markets, he said, “not just for the niche markets of certified or premium products.”

While more robust traceability systems are needed as a support to more visibility for sustainability, they will not be enough unless accompanied by broader access to information, said Sembres. “Most traceability systems that exist nowadays are non-transparent traceability systems. This means that most market actors don’t have access to this information and cannot use it to promote sustainable production and trade.”

Thomas Sembres’ presentation at the COP26 event can be viewed in this recording. His contribution is from 4:08:00 – 4:14:00.

Bringing transparency to a traceability system is a delicate task, he said, with some actors fearing that more accessible information would be used against them. “At EFI we are working on this delicate task of helping governments use supply chain transparency to encourage progress towards sustainability.”

On the question of bridging differences between producer countries and consumer countries related to transparency and traceability systems, Sembres confirmed that more data was now available than ever before – but said that dialogue between market actors or between governments remained difficult. The key reason for this gap are the complexity of numerous data and traceability platforms, he said, along with distrust around the use of the data.

What is needed now, Sembres said, is simplicity and trust based on transparency and inclusive, structured and equitable processes on choice of data sources and data use. The experience of Terpercaya was a good example of how this could be achieved, he said.

“We need to build supply chains of understanding and trust. The Transparency Pathway is a way to bring public and private supply chain actors together to shift mainstream commodity markets towards sustainability.”

The lessons of COVID-19: facilitation for sustainability

4 November 2021/by EU REDD Facility

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound effect on the environment. As resources for forest management decline, risks of criminal activity such as illegal logging have escalated. At the same time, many cooperation projects aimed at reducing deforestation or improving biodiversity conservation have suffered delays and breaks in their activities.

For those working on environmental solutions – including the EU REDD Facility – the pandemic has required creativity and resourcefulness. Not only must workflows be maintained while at a distance, but tangible results need to be generated for those who were vulnerable even before the pandemic.

In a new blog, REDD expert Frédéric Baron shares lessons from Colombia, Ecuador and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), making the case that “now more than ever we see the need for well-informed and open dialogue, and processes for facilitation”.

Facilitators and facilitation skills are necessary for achieving sustainable development goals and Nationally Determined Contributions targets, says Baron. “With or without a pandemic, environmental and social challenges cannot wait until ‘normality’ returns.”

For support to Colombia, Ecuador and the DRC in 2021, the EU REDD Facility has opted to increase the facilitation component of its work. Information is shared to generate common knowledge, and then to identify potential solutions for improving governance and sustainability of land use.

The overarching lesson of the past 18 months has been that negotiations, dialogue, and consensus can be achieved if a facilitating third party ensures a first layer of knowledge and understanding, says Baron. “It does not mean that the way towards a final agreement will be easy, but certainly easier and possible.”

New insights: Leveraging data for supply chain sustainability

27 October 2021/by EU REDD Facility

The EU REDD Facility has released a new Transparency Pathway Insights series, showing that supply chain and trade data can support sustainability.

*Supply chain and trade data can support sustainability. Landing of cocoa beans from Ivory Coast in the port of Ilheus, Brazil, 2012. Source: Joa Souza*

The first Insight of the series explores market connections between the European Union (EU) and Brazil, Colombia and Indonesia for three major agricultural commodities — soy, coffee and palm oil.

Examining subnational data, the Facility finds that significant portions of these markets – more than half of the traded volume in Brazilian soy and Indonesian palm oil and up to 86% of traded Colombian coffee – have strong relationships with the EU market.

The scope of EU influence is even more striking when considering total traded volumes — 86% of internationally traded coffee from Colombia, 56% of palm oil produced in Indonesia and 50% of Brazilian soy.

There is now more publically available data on the trade of agricultural commodities linked to deforestation than ever before. This review of subnational supply chain data makes the case that there is significant potential for producer countries, the EU and companies in the middle to collaborate and build partnerships for a shift towards sustainable supply chains.

Know more about the Transparency Pathway.

A way forward for Indonesian customary forests and timber management

6 August 2021/by EU REDD Facility

Supporting customary and indigenous groups to manage the forests they depend on helps reduce deforestation in tropical countries, recent research suggests.

*Discussion with the ninik mamak, or customary heads, of the Padang Hilalang customary community in West Sumatra, Indonesia.* *Source:* *Pandong Spenra, KARSA*.

With Indonesian civil society organisation KARSA, the EU REDD Facility has researched options for integrating customary forests into Indonesia’s national timber legality assurance system (the SVLK). The study findings highlight gaps between current timber harvesting and trading practices by customary groups, and existing regulations on timber use and administration.

In a new blog on a way forward for customary forests and timber management in Indonesia, authors Satrio A. Wicaksono and Paramita L. Iswari describe potential paths to legal and sustainable production and trade of timber from customary forests. They make the case that along with steps to safeguard against misuse of customary forests for illegal timber, equity for customary groups can be advanced.

A case in point is the Padang Hilalang customary community in Indonesia’s West Sumatra Province, which has traditionally managed some 20 000 hectares of forest near their settlement. Here, as in other customary areas, the community does not have full rights to legally harvest, sell or transport timber. For them, the opportunity to harvest timber would represent the right to manage their own forests.

The EU REDD Facility shares 10 lessons for ending tropical deforestation

13 June 2021/by EU REDD Facility

As the EU REDD Facility marks its 10-year anniversary, it has released a summation of key lessons learned in working to strengthen efforts to ensure tropical forests meet their potential to limit climate change. Over the last decade the Facility has worked towards empowering stakeholders to strengthen the rule of law, to promote sustainable land use and investment, and to enhance supply chain transparency.

These insights are shared as the 14th edition of the EU Development Days on the Green Deal for a Sustainable Future gets underway. The EU has a strong track record of global leadership in dealing with deforestation and forest degradation, and the European Green Deal commits to measures to support deforestation-free value chains. The Facility’s work is aligned with this ambitious response to the continued widespread destruction of the world’s forests.

“Significant progress has been made over the past few years towards ending deforestation and understanding the drivers and solutions to this complex problem,” said Christophe Van Orshoven, EU REDD Facility Team leader. However, he said it was necessary for “governments, the private sector and citizens all over the world to urgently step up action to protect and restore the world’s forests.”

The lessons that the Facility has learned over the past decade include the need for clear and well-enforced legal frameworks for land use, land-use planning that is participatory and collaborative, and partnership approaches that build an enabling environment for sustainable land-use.

“We hope that these lessons help to shape and accelerate future action”, said Van Orshoven. In years ahead, the Facility intends continued support to countries to find innovative approaches and solutions to their land-use governance and development goals, and opportunities for dialogue and partnership.

Forest sector independent monitoring: promise for land-use governance

24 May 2021/by EU REDD Facility

Despite decades of efforts, forests are still being lost at an alarming rate, particularly in tropical countries. A civil society approach for contributing to improving forest governance – Independent Monitoring – has earned its stripes over the last decade as a legitimate activity through which non-state actors can influence natural resource governance.

In a new brief, the EU REDD Facility proposes that the application of independent monitoring to deforestation-free commodity production could help open up agricultural and land-use sectors to similar initiatives. Independent monitoring, in which independent civil society organisations assess legal compliance, complements government forest law enforcement activities by generating transparency, objectivity and credibility.

*Independent monitors during a field inspection, Republic of the Congo. Source: EFI.*

Drawing on experience in Central Africa, the EU REDD Facility has published a policy brief detailing how independent monitoring is gaining traction beyond the assessment of legal compliance in the timber sector. It describes how the method could be applied to assess corporate zero-deforestation commitments in commodity-producing countries, as well as targets to reducing deforestation contained in many national climate plans submitted by countries under the Paris Agreement on climate change.

The brief introduces the concept of independent monitoring, highlighting key strengths, weaknesses and some recent innovations. It also considers possible future applications of the approach, with the intention of inspiring further discussions among practitioners and other stakeholders.

EU REDD Facility releases highlights and insights from 2020

13 May 2021/by EU REDD Facility

The EU REDD Facility has published its annual report for 2020, with highlights and insights into work achieved over the year.

In 2020, COVID-19 brought unprecedented challenges for the world’s forests and the people depending on them. While some forest and agricultural sector operators and producers prioritised economic survival over environmental standards, the Facility’s partners remained committed to improving land-use governance as part of efforts to slow, halt and reverse deforestation.

Tropical rainforest, Latin America — *The EU REDD Facility annual report for 2020 explains how COVID-19 brought unprecedented challenges for the world’s forests. Source: Gustavo Frazao.*

The EU REDD Facility annual report highlights growing interest in supply chain transparency approaches in response to evolving market requirements. Building on progress made in tracking jurisdictional sustainability of Indonesian palm oil, the Facility worked with public and private sector stakeholders to assess feasibility of transparency approaches for cocoa sectors in Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Colombia and Ecuador.

The Facility’s Land-use Planner was increasingly used in 2020 by partner countries to support decision-making. An updated version of the tool brought together a wider set of information to the community of users, including land-use data, methods and case studies.

In Colombia and Indonesia, the Facility worked on community forestry as path to improving livelihoods and achieving climate commitments.

As a means of deforestation-proofing investments to leverage finance to meet climate and forest goals, the Facility continued roll out of its Land-use Finance Tool. In 2020 Cambodia used the tool to help to build the case for more international support and improve spending coherence. The Democratic Republic of the Congo also started to use the tool to track all public land-use spending since 2009.

In assessments of payment for environmental services models for progress towards sustainably produced cocoa, the Facility confirmed the importance of incentive mechanisms for covering initial investment costs of shifting to sustainable production.