MBREDD+ closes and paves the way for future REDD+ initiatives

On 10 October 2016 the “Delivering Environmental and Social Multiple Benefits from REDD+ in South East Asia’ (MBREDD+)” was successfully closed. This marks an important milestone for the innovative REDD+ initiative and paves the way for scaling it up to other parts of the world.

The event, which took place in the Central Highlands - a forest hub of Vietnam, attracted more than 70 participants representing Vietnam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Forest Protection Department, Forest Investment and Planning Institute, the UN-REDD+ Office, relevant government authorities, forest owners and the media. The workshop also welcomed a delegation from Lao PDR, including representatives of the Department of Forestry and Resource Management and the REDD+ Benefits working group.

MBREDD+ is funded by the International Climate Initiative (ICI) of the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB), and implemented by SNV in partnership with the Governments of Vietnam (VNFOREST) and Lao PDR Department of Forestry and Resource Management (DFRM) from 2013-2016. The project aims to support the governments of Vietnam and Lao PDR in implementing national REDD+ programmes that promote social and environmental co-benefits.

“Through MBREDD+, SNV has employed the innovative ‘Multiple benefits approach’ to ensure that environmental & social risks are minimised and multiple benefits (economic, environmental and social) for local people are maximised”, Richard Rastall - SNV REDD+ Technical Advisor - remarked.
In Vietnam, the MBREDD+ was implemented in two provinces Lam Dong and Ca Mau, and at national level. Over the past three years, MBREDD+ has delivered remarkable results. These include a series of knowledge products that have been shared at various local, national and international events; the National Safeguards Roadmaps and Participatory Sub-national Planning that SNV has supported the governments and local partners to develop. Many lessons learnt from practices at different levels were openly shared at the event.

“I believe that the real legacy of the project is in the development of model participatory, inclusive and pro-poor approaches and processes which are continuing to guide and influence the design of REDD+ in Vietnam. Importantly, the project has also tested these approaches on the ground in Lam Dong and in so doing the project has also increased awareness and capacity at provincial and local levels”- Rastall added.

Building on the experiences of MBREDD+, since early 2016 SNV has been carrying out the ”Ensuring Operationalization of Safeguard Requirements to Obtain RBF from Sustainable National REDD+ Policies” in Vietnam, Ghana and Peru with funding from BMUB. The project promotes a country-led safeguards approach (CSA) that responds to national and international safeguards commitments by building upon a country’s existing governance system.

“Today MBREDD+ is closing but that’s not the end. The success of the project as well as its lessons learnt in Southeast Asia paves the way for scaling up this innovative model in other countries in Africa and Latin America.” – said Ly Thi Minh Hai, MBREDD+ Project Manager.