2 July 2010: The UN-REDD Programme’s Policy Board approved an additional US$8.7 million to fund global activities aimed at supporting national REDD+ (reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries, conservation, sustainable management of forests, and enhancement of carbon stocks) readiness. UN-REDD’s support to global activities now adds up to US$22 million, which is in addition to the US$42.6 million dedicated to UN-REDD’s National Programmes. The new funds will be allocated towards UN-REDD’s work on: measurement, reporting and verification (MRV); stakeholder engagement; realizing forests’ multiple benefits; increasing transparency and effectiveness in national REDD+ governance; developing equitable benefit sharing systems; and supporting the transformation to a low-carbon forest sector. The funds are part of Norway’s pledge of US$30 million for 2010. Tiina Vahanen, Senior Officer of the UN-REDD’s Global Programme, noted that the newly approved funds “will go a long way to developing and sharing knowledge, guidance and tools to help countries design and implement their national REDD+ strategies.” [UN-REDD Press Release]