24 February 2011: The UN-REDD Programme has released its first five-year strategy for 2011-2015, which provides a road map for increased support to UN-REDD partner countries for activities related to reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries, including conservation, sustainable management of forests, and enhancement of carbon stocks (REDD+).

The Strategy outlines the Programme’s overall vision and mission, namely to support countries’ efforts towards REDD and transform their forest sectors so as to contribute to human well-being, and meet climate change mitigation and adaptation aspirations. It also includes the 2011-2015 objective to promote the elaboration and implementation of national REDD+ strategies to achieve REDD+ readiness. The Strategy defines six key work areas for Programme support: measuring, reporting and verification (MRV) and monitoring; national REDD+ governance; stakeholder engagement; multiple benefits of forests and REDD+; management of REDD+ payments; and REDD+ as a catalyst for transformations to a green economy. The Strategy highlights the following objectives: increasing the number of countries that receive support; creating a new financial modality; and scaling up coordination with strategic partners [Publication: UN-REDD Programme Strategy 2011-2015]