27 November 2011: The UNFCCC Secretariat has published the report on the expert meeting on forest reference emission levels and forest reference levels for implementation of activities for REDD+ (reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries, as well as conservation, sustainable management of forests and enhancement of carbon stocks) (FCCC/SBSTA/2011/INF.18).

The expert meeting, which was held from 14-15 November 2011, in Bonn, Germany, was organized in response to the request by the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA) that the Secretariat organize meetings of technical experts on methodological issues relating to REDD+, including a meeting before its 35th session. The report contains a description of the proceedings of the meeting, summarizes the presentations that were made, and presents the main points and outcomes of the discussions.

During the meeting, presentations were made by experts as follows: experts from developing country parties gave presentations on their experiences of the implementation of REDD+ activities and their efforts to determine their forest reference emission levels and/or forest reference levels; experts from developed country parties shared lessons learned from setting forest reference levels for forest management under the Kyoto Protocol; and other experts from parties and intergovernmental organizations gave presentations on ongoing work on methodologies and approaches. Breakout group discussions were also held, addressing a set of questions formulated by the co-chairs of the meeting, as follows: what is/are the difference(s) between forest reference emission levels and forest reference levels and the associated methodological differences?; can a party propose forest reference emission levels and/or forest reference levels for a subset of REDD+ activity types, and if so, under what conditions?; when is it appropriate to adjust extrapolated historical trends or estimates and what type of information is needed to support this adjustment?; what information should be provided and in what form for the determination of forest reference emission levels and/or forest reference levels?; what aspects of the construction of forest reference emission levels and/or forest reference levels should allow for comparability among countries?; and how can perverse incentives through the exclusion of pools or activities be avoided? [Publication: Report of UNFCCC Expert Meeting on REDD+ Issues]