25 November 2015: The UN-REDD Programme has announced the launch of the first online version of its Academy courses and accompanying Learning Journals on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Developing Countries (REDD+).

The e-course and accompanying material were developed with the support of the UN Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) Secretariat’s One UN Climate Change Learning Partnership (UN CC:Learn). The REDD+ Academy was designed to support the efforts of developing countries to gain the knowledge and capacities needed to deliver REDD+ at the scale required to match the global climate change mitigation challenge. It was first organized as a live, regional learning forum in Asia-Pacific, and was then expanded to the Africa and Latin America and the Caribbean regions. The Learning Journals lead learners across the landscape of REDD+, from the carbon cycle and drivers of deforestation to approaches to finance and stakeholder engagement. They also explore technical issues, such as the establishment of national forest monitoring systems and processes to address REDD+ safeguards.

In a video statement launching the REDD+ Academy e-course, UN Environment Programme (UNEP) Executive Director Achim Steiner called the e-course a “state-of-the-art overview of REDD+ planning and implementation, which has been developed by some of the world’s leading REDD+ experts.” [UN-REDD Press Release] [UN CC:Learn Website] [REDD+ Academy E-Course][REDD+ Academy Learning Journals]