4 February 2012: The European Commission has released the final report from last July’s Second EU REDD+ Projects Coordination Meeting. The meeting was convened to report on progress on EU-funded REDD+ projects, as well as to take stock and share lessons learned from the implementation of REDD+.

In addition to presentations by the Commission, the Governments of Germany and Norway, as well as by the European Forest Institute, the meeting discussed four themes: measuring REDD+ performance – monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV); land tenure and planning processes; local dialogue and stakeholder engagement; and financing sustainable land use to address the drivers of deforestation and degradation.

The meeting concluded that additional work is needed with regards to: addressing safeguards; linking climate change mitigation and adaptation through REDD+; strengthening legal frameworks and addressing corruption; and building information systems. Additional challenges identified by participants include: establishing reference levels; recognizing community land rights; recognizing social benefits from REDD+; and building a strong and stable market for REDD+ emission reductions.

Examples of successful REDD+ investment programmes were presented, including the German REDD Early Movers (REM) fund and Forest Governance Programme, and the Norwegian International Climate and Forest Initiative and Partnership on REDD+ with Indonesia. [European Commission Press Release] [Publication: Report of the Second EU REDD+ Projects Coordination Meeting]