Vietnam became the first of 47 UN-REDD partner countries to start a Phase II Programme, with a total budget of US$30 million aiming at mitigating greenhouse effects through forest management and land use improvement.
A signing ceremony for the start of the UN-REDD Vietnam Phase II Programme was recently held in Hanoi. The programme was approved by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development at the Decision No. 1724/QD-BNN-HTQT dated July 29, 2013 with a funding of approximately US$30 million funded by Norway’s non-refundable aid.
The United Nations Programme on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (UN-REDD) is the United Nations Collaborative Programme on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) in developing countries. The programme is the clearest expression of climate change and adaptability to climate change - a common concern of many countries and organisations on earth.
The goals of the programme are to strengthen Vietnam’s capacity to benefit from payments based on emission reduction in the future when it implements REDD+, thus helping successfully implement the National Action Programme for REDD+ and forestry restructuring. In particular, the programme targets to increase forest coverage of Vietnam up to 45 percent in 2020 through formulating and implementing policies to address causes of deforestation and forest degradation.
During the last four years, Vietnam has successfully piloted a number of activities of the REDD+ readiness, including supporting and coordinating relevant stakeholders, developing a framework for measurement, reporting and verification (MRV), and testing approaches to provide information and gain consent of ethnic minorities and other forest-dependent communities.
The Phase II will bring into full play the results of the Phase I in the REDD+ readiness, and start to implement the National Action Plan on REDD+ in six provinces, namely Bac Kan, Lao Cai, Ha Tinh, Binh Thuan, Lam Dong and Ca Mau. The Vietnam Administration of Forestry (Vnforest) is assigned to carry out the programme with the technical support of FAO, UNDP and UNEP.
In next three years, the programme will support the identification, negotiation, planning and implementation of sustainable land use methods appropriate to local climate and needs.
Mr Cao Duc Phat, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, said that Vietnam is one of the most vulnerable countries by climate change. He said in the past years the country has proactively worked with the international community in protecting the earth’s climate system.
“The UN-REDD Vietnam Phase II Programme is meticulously prepared and based on the success and experience of the Phase I. Vietnam is committed to working closely with FAO, UNDP and UNEP to successfully realise the objectives of the Phase II Programme,” the minister emphasised.
He also suggested that the UN-REDD Phase II Programme should collaborate with the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF) projects and other programs and projects on climate change and REDD+ funded by other developed partners to improve aid effectiveness and help Vietnam to promptly develop capabilities to implement REDD+ and to be paid from the results of the greenhouse gas emissions.
Ms Pratibha Mehta, UN Resident Coordinator in Vietnam, said that this was a landmark for Vietnam and UN-REDD. The UN-REDD Phase II Programme includes a clear way forward for Vietnam to benefit in multiple ways. However, if Vietnam wants to make use of all opportunities, all objectives of the Phase II must be delivered on time, she noted. UN agencies will help optimise the effects of efforts to minimise negative impacts of climate change in Vietnam.
Anh Mai
Vietnamese
