Safeguard F
Criterion F1. When the feasibility and potential impacts of proposed REDD+ Policies and Measures are analyzed, an analysis of risks of non-permanence should be included; this should consider the possibility of unintended incentives (e.g. by land use becoming more profitable), as well as risks linked to long-term funding, legal security or external influences like climate change or socio-economic change.
- The process to develop the National REDD+ Strategy has included an analysis of drivers of forest change and extensive consultation with stakeholders, including discussions on the feasibility of Policies and Measures (PaMs). Inputs from stakeholders at national and subnational level were integrated into the design of PaMs (see also Criterion D1 on consultations).
- The national benefits and risks assessment included analysis of the risks of non-permanence, or reversals, as well as consideration of ways to enhance the long-term sustainability of REDD+ (see also Criterion E2). In addition, further assessment of impacts will occur as part of ongoing planning for the implementation of REDD+ PaMs. For some PaMs, this may include impact assessment, such as IEE/EIA (in accordance with the EIA Procedure 2015), and Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) processes.
- The national benefits and risks assessment completed in the Readiness Phase included identification of risks of reversals (such as unintended incentives for expansion of cultivated land or overexploitation of forest resources, forest fires, etc) suggested possible measures to reduce these risks, and generated recommendations for the design of PaMs.
As yet there is no systematic or formal process for updating information on the benefits and risks of REDD+ PaMs, or for consideration of risks of non-permanence during reviews of progress; such a process may be developed as part of the expected regular review of the National REDD+ Strategy. Capacity-building is also needed for REDD+ implementing agencies on assessing and managing risks of non-permanence.
Recommendations for addressing these challenges include:
- Guidance to be developed for REDD+ implementing agencies should include information on requirements related to all safeguards, including identifying and managing risks of non-permanence.
- The REDD+ M&E framework, should include selected indicators related to the long-term sustainability and permanence of REDD+ PaMs, which should also be reflected in the SIS.
| Respect | F1.2. Number of assessments/processes carried out to identify and analyze risks of non-permanence, including risks related to unintended incentives, long-term funding, markets and external factors |
- Please see Criterion F1 for information on how risks of non-permanence of REDD+ Polices and Measures (PaMs) have been identified in Myanmar so far. The processes to develop the National REDD+ Strategy and to assess the potential benefits and risks of REDD+ have included: the participatory development of suggested measures to reduce risks and enhance benefits; and the formulation of recommendations to be incorporated into the draft investment plan/action plans for PaMs.
- In addition, a number of additional instruments to be adopted for REDD+ implementation in Myanmar will help to reduce the risks of non-permanence, including: the application of Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) processes, to ensure long-term community support for REDD+ PaMs; and the development of an equitable benefit-sharing system.
- Some elements of the legal framework as well as certain PaMs may also contribute to the long-term sustainability of REDD+ and permanence of REDD+ results, such as the National Land Use Policy (2016), the Agriculture Development Strategy and Investment Plan (2018-19 – 2022-23), and the Forest Law (2018).
- The processes to develop the National REDD+ Strategy and to assess the potential benefits and risks of REDD+ have included the participatory development of suggested measures to reduce risks and enhance benefits, and the formulation of recommendations to be incorporated into the draft investment plan/action plans for PaMs.
- REDD+ PaMs that can contribute to addressing the risks of non-permanence include but are not limited to those related to participatory land use planning, and incentivized community co-managed monitoring programmes.
There is the risk that high level political processes, such as changes in national policy, could have a negative impact on the permanence of REDD+ results (but may be outside the sphere of influence of the REDD+ initiative).At sub-national level, political processes and coordination between different agencies may also affect permanence of REDD+. Recommendations to address these challenges include those proposed under Criterion F1, as well as recognition that PaMs related to coordination between sectors and to the improvement of land-use planning processes can play an important role in addressing risks related to non-permanence.
| Respect | F2.1 Percentage of PaMs for which adjustments or accompanying measures were identified to reduce reversal risks |
| F2.2 Percentage of PaMs where it is documented that identified measures to reduce reversal risks were carried out during implementation | |
| F2.3. Link to indicator on planning instruments (B3.2) |
Criterion F3. The National Forest Monitoring System should be designed to allow the detection and management of reversals.
- A 5-year project to design, develop, plan and implement a National Forest Inventory (NFI) and National Forest Monitoring and Information System (NFMS) is currently underway (see also Criterion B4).
- The NFMS will encompass two components: the strengthening of the satellite-based land monitoring system, including the use of modern open source and open access-based remote sensing capacities and techniques; and the enhancement of field inventory capacities including the establishment of a new comprehensive NFI.
- According to final draft the National REDD+ Strategy, Myanmar will be able to monitor land use changes of key land cover classes and can calculate activity data with approach 2 according to Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) guidelines. The goal is to measure activity data with approach 3 capabilities in the future, i.e. also be able to express detected changes in a spatially explicit manner. Although specific capacities and methodologies for the detection and management of reversals have yet to be developed, these will be proposed in the future development of the NFMS.
- The REDD+ monitoring & evaluation (M&E) framework should include selected indicators related to the long-term sustainability and permanence of REDD+ PaMs; this is expected to be reflected in the SIS.
- Information related to this criterion is not yet available
There is as yet no explicit methodology to define, detect, and manage reversals in the draft design of the NFMS. Capacities and methods for detecting and managing reversals as well as for further developing activity data and for more detailed emission factor calculation, based on existing data in the Forest Department, need to be strengthened. To address this challenge, guidance/standard operating procedures for the NFMS should incorporate a) definition of reversals and criteria for detecting potential incidences of reversals, and b) protocols for the reporting and subsequent management of such incidences.
| Respect | F3.1. Number of incidences of reversals detected and area affected, and number of incidences of reversals addressed through subsequent management steps / area concerned |
- The implementation of REDD+ PaMs and the results achieved will be monitored and evaluated through a number of processes, including: regular monitoring and review of REDD+ implementation (see also Criterion E6); monitoring of forest and land cover change through the National Forest Monitoring System (NFMS), and calculation of REDD+ results (see Criterion F3); and racking how all safeguards are addressed and respected through the SIS.
- Although methodologies and capacities still need to be developed, it is expected that detectable and measurable reversals will be analyzed to determine causes and appropriate response measures, and such occurrences will be reported transparently. The lessons learned from such analyses would be incorporated into regular reviews of the National REDD+ Strategy.
- Information related to the implementation of REDD+ PaMs and this criterion is not yet available.
Monitoring and review processes for the National REDD+ Strategy are still under development, as are capacities and methodologies for the NFMS. To address identified gaps, Terms of Reference for the annual/five yearly review of the Strategy should specify the documentation and analysis of lessons learned from any occurrences of reversals and/or displacement (see also Principle G). This review may also draw on information collected through the M&E framework related to the permanence/long-term sustainability of REDD+ PaMs (see also F1).
| Respect | F4.1. Number of modifications to PaMs and/or REDD+ processes to avoid future incidences of reversals |
